Sausage and Pepper Pasta

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The late Mr. O-P was an excellent cook. I really miss the days when someone made a nice meal for me. Jim’s specialty was salmon as well as all types of Italian food. He made a mean sausage and pepper sandwich that I can still taste to this day. I had a hankering for them the other day, but not having bread on hand decided to try something different. Instead of the bread, I decided to toss it with cooked pasta. I think he would have approved.

Sausage and Pepper Pasta

3 links Italian sausage, sliced into ½” diagonals
1 T. olive oil
1 red pepper (or orange or yellow or a combination of all three), thinly sliced
1 3-oz. pkg. Melissa’s shallots, sliced
Pinch red pepper flakes
6 oz. cavatappi pasta
1 32-oz. jar of pasta sauce
1/8 t. dried basil
1/8 t. dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Few gratings of Parmesan cheese

Put a large pot of water on to boil for the pasta.

Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium high heat. Add sausage to the hot skillet and cook, stirring until it begins to brown. Add bell pepper and shallots, reduce heat slightly, and cook, stirring, until the peppers are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in hot pepper flakes, pasta sauce, basil, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and reduce heat to low. Allow sauce to simmer until the pasta has finished cooking.

When the water has come to a boil, add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain pasta reserving ½ cup pasta water. Stir pasta and pasta water into pasta sauce. Cook until heated through. Serve topped with a few gratings of Parmesan cheese.

Amply serves four.