Best New York Style Italian Sausage Topping Recipes

CHEESY BAKED PASTA WITH SAUSAGE AND RICOTTA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Crumble sausage into skillet, using a spoon to break it into small pieces. Cook until starting to brown, stirring occasionally, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, oregano, fennel seeds and red-pepper flakes (if using), and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in whole tomatoes and their juice, using a spoon to break them up. Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaves and 2 teaspoons salt, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes to thicken slightly.
• Stir in pasta and 1 cup water and return to a simmer. Continue to simmer for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to make sure pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat, pluck out the bay leaves, and fold in about a third of the mozzarella.
• Top pasta with remaining mozzarella and dollops of ricotta. Sprinkle with Parmesan, then transfer to oven. Bake until pasta is tender when poked with a fork, and cheese is bubbly and lightly golden, 18 to 22 minutes. (If you'd like a more deeply browned topping, run the pan under the broiler for 1 or 2 minutes.) Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Top with basil, plenty of black pepper, and more red-pepper flakes, if you like.

SAUSAGE WITH PEPPERS AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Prick each sausage in several places with a skewer or the tip of paring knife to prevent bursting. Put sausages in one layer in a skillet. Add water to cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, then cover, turn off heat and let steep.
• Place a wide skillet over high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When oil is hot, add sliced peppers and onions. Season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Adjust heat as necessary if mixture seems to be cooking too quickly. Add garlic just at the end, stir to incorporate and cook 1 minute more. Stir in the vinegar.
• Transfer pepper mixture to a platter. Over medium heat, coat pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, add sausages and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, to brown. Top pepper mixture with cooked sausages. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper and oregano and garnish with basil leaves.
• If desired, in the same wide skillet, fry eggs sunny side up in a little olive oil to accompany. Season with salt and pepper.

SAUSAGE SANDWICH (ITALIAN STYLE)

Steps:

• Poach raw sausages in 1/2 cup water in a covered skillet, simmering until almost done.
• This takes about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Sautè onions and peppers with olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano 4 minutes on medium-high heat.
• Add the wine, cover and cook 4 minutes more.
• Uncover and cook until moisture is absorbed.
• On either a grill or in a skillet with a little extra-virgin olive oil, cook the poached sausages over medium-high heat 7 to 10 minutes, turning often to ensure even browning.
• In a large baking dish or pan, place the opened rolls.
• Fill the rolls with 1 sausage in each roll and evenly distribute the onions and peppers.
• Mix the 3 shredded cheeses and evenly sprinkle that on top.
• Place in oven, uncovered, on 400°F or until the cheese is melted.
• Remove from oven, top with some Marinara sauce, close the sandwiches and serve.
• NOTE: See my recipe for Marinara Sauce #84217.

HOT ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Put the pork in a bowl and add all remaining ingredients. Mix well to distribute the seasoning evenly throughout the meat.
• Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for future use.

SAUSAGE RAGù

Steps:

• With the tip of a small, sharp knife, slit open the sausage casings. Crumble the meat into a wide, heavy skillet or Dutch oven and set over medium-low heat. If the meat is not rendering enough fat to coat the bottom of the pan as it begins to cook, add olive oil one tablespoon at a time until the meat is frying gently, not steaming. Sauté, breaking up any large chunks, until all the meat has turned opaque (do not let it brown), about 5 minutes.
• Add onion, carrot, celery and parsley and stir. Drizzle in more oil if the pan seems dry. Cook over very low heat, stirring often, until the vegetables have melted in the fat and are beginning to caramelize, and the meat is toasty brown. This may take as long as 40 minutes, but be patient: It is essential to the final flavors.
• Add tomatoes and their juice, breaking up the tomatoes with your hands or with the side of a spoon. Bring to a simmer, then add thyme and rosemary and let simmer, uncovered, until thickened and pan is almost dry, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Mix tomato paste with 1 cup hot water. Add to pan, reduce heat to very low, and continue cooking until the ragù is velvety and dark red, and the top glistens with oil, about 10 minutes more. Remove herb sprigs. Sprinkle black pepper over, stir and taste.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil pasta until just tender. Scoop out 2 cups cooking water, drain pasta and return to pot over low heat. Quickly add a ladleful of ragù, a splash of cooking water, stir well and let cook 1 minute. Taste for doneness. Repeat, adding more cooking water or ragù, or both, until pasta is cooked through and seasoned to your liking.
• Pour hot pasta water into a large serving bowl to heat it. Pour out the water and pour in the pasta. Top with remaining ragù, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately. Pass grated cheese at the table, if desired.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE SANDWICHES

Steps:

• In large bowl, toss together the cabbage, carrots, mayonnaise, the 3 chopped pickled peppers, pepper juice, salt and pepper. Let the mixture stand for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the broiler. Arrange the rolls, split side up, on a baking sheet. Line the inside of each roll with provolone. Arrange the sausages on the baking sheet next to the rolls. Put the sheet under the broiler. Cook until the cheese is bubbling and the sausages are warm, 1 to 2 minutes (make sure the rolls do not burn).
• Place a sausage inside each roll. Top generously with coleslaw and sprinkle with additional pickled peppers. Serve any additional coleslaw on the side.