Sausage and Pepper Bowl

Sausage and Pepper Bowl

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Spaghetti Squash

• 1 large spaghetti squash (3 to 4 pounds)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed

Sausage and Peppers

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 4 Italian sausage links (sweet, hot, or a couple of each)

• 1 large yellow onion, sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons

• 1 green bell pepper, sliced into 3-inch strips

• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into 3-inch strips

• 1 bell pepper of another color (yellow or orange or purple), sliced into 3-inch strips

• Salt, to taste

• 4 garlic cloves, sliced into slivers

• 1/2 cup Marsala or red wine, optional

• 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F.

2. Cut 1 large spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Brush the cut sides of the squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

3. Place the squash cut-side down on a baking sheet. Roast until fork tender, 35 to 40 minutes.

4. Slide a thin spatula, preferably metal, under each half and carefully flip over. Use a fork to scrape the flesh into strands. Taste and season with more kosher salt and black pepper as needed.

5. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pan that has a lid. When the oil is hot, add the sausages and brown them slowly. If they sizzle and crackle too much, turn the heat down. You want a gentle browning, not a sear. Cook for several minutes, turning them occasionally so they brown on all sides. When the sausages are browned, remove them from the pan and set aside.

6. Increase the heat to high and add the onions and peppers. Toss so they get coated with the oil in the pan and sear them as well as you can, stirring every so often.

7. Once the onions and peppers soften, sprinkle some salt on them. Once you get some blackening from a good sear on the onions and peppers, add the garlic and cook for one more minute.

8. Deglaze the pan with chicken stock. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a metal spatula or wooden spoon to release all the browned and blackened bits.

9. Add the tomatoes, oregano, and red pepper flakes (if using) and stir well to combine. Add the sausages back in. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the peppers are soft and the sausages are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Sausage and Pepper Bowl