When it comes to southern Italian food, this is a very traditional dish. It's usually made with delicious Italian pork sausage and regular pasta. It's not the kind of thing you want to eat when you're trying to eat light or just healthier. But when you substitute turkey sausage for the pork sausage and when you use whole wheat pasta instead of regular pasta, this dish can be very healthy. There's a lot of great whole wheat pastas out there that not only are high in fiber, but are high in protein. Barilla Plus pasta is very high in protein because it contains legumes - specifically, lentil and chickpea flours. Bell peppers are incredibly healthy - they are high in fiber and contain more Vitamin C than an orange.
This dish can be served as an antipasti or a main course. It's a beautiful dish, piled on a platter.
Sausage with Peppers and Onions
for a printable recipe, click here
serves 6
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 pound whole wheat pasta
- Parmesan cheese, to serve
Instructions:
In a large fry pan, brown the sausages in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Cook, turning the sausages, until they are about half cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Add the other 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and add the onions and peppers for several minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, the red pepper flakes and the oregano.
Slice the sausage into 2 inch pieces and add to the vegetables. Pour the chicken stock into the pan and cover. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Take the lid off and cook for a few minutes more, until the sausage is cooked through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, boil the pasta until al dente. Drain and place on a large platter. Top with the sausage and peppers. Grate parmesan over and serve.