Tasty Sausage and Pepper Pasta Delight (Print version)

A hearty Italian-American pasta skillet with browned sausage, tender bell peppers, tomato sauce, and parmesan.

# Ingredients:

For the pasta

01 - 12 oz (340 g) rigatoni or penne
02 - 1 tablespoon kosher salt, for the pasta water

For the sausage and peppers

03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 lb (450 g) mild or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
05 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced
06 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
07 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced
08 - 1 medium yellow onion, sliced
09 - 4 cloves garlic, minced

For the sauce

10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
11 - 1 can (20 oz/565 g) crushed tomatoes
12 - 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
13 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
15 - 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
16 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
17 - 1/2 cup (50 g) grated parmesan, plus more for serving
18 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

# Instructions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until just shy of al dente, then reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 6-8 minutes, breaking it into bite-size pieces, until browned and cooked through.
03 - Add the bell peppers and onion to the skillet. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is glossy and the peppers are tender but not mushy.
04 - Add the garlic and tomato paste. Stir for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the skillet, until the tomato paste darkens slightly.
05 - Stir in the crushed tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until slightly thickened.
06 - Add the drained pasta and 1/4 cup reserved pasta water. Toss until coated, adding more pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.
07 - Stir in parmesan and parsley. Taste for salt, then serve hot with extra parmesan on top.

# Good to know:

01 - Use hot Italian sausage if you prefer a spicier pasta.
02 - Reserve pasta water before draining because it helps the sauce cling.
03 - The sauce can be made 2 days ahead and tossed with fresh pasta before serving.

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