Sausage & Peppers Recipe

Bring water to a boil

In a large pot, bring 4 liters of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt once boiling.

Cook rigatoni

Add 1 lb rigatoni and cook until just shy of al dente (follow package minus 1-2 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the rigatoni and set aside.

Heat a large heavy skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. When shimmering, add the sausage (removed from casings) and break into bite-sized pieces with a spoon. Brown the sausage, stirring occasionally, until well caramelized and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer browned sausage to a plate and set aside, leaving rendered fat in the pan (add a little extra oil if the pan is dry).

Add the sliced onion and bell peppers to the hot pan. Season with 1 teaspoon black pepper and 1 teaspoon salt (adjust later if needed). Sauté until peppers are softened and onions are translucent and starting to brown, about 7–9 minutes. Stir occasionally so they caramelize evenly.

Add 4 minced garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes to the vegetables and cook until fragrant, about 30–45 seconds, taking care not to burn the garlic.

Push the vegetables to one side of the pan or remove briefly. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and 2 tablespoons tomato paste to the pan. Cook the tomato paste, stirring, about 1–2 minutes until it darkens slightly to deepen the flavor.

Pour in the 28 oz crushed tomatoes, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add 2 tablespoons chopped hot cherry peppers (if using), 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.

Return the browned sausage (and any accumulated juices) to the pan. Stir, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the sauce for 8–12 minutes to marry flavors and slightly thicken. Taste and adjust salt and crushed red pepper flakes for desired heat.

If the sauce becomes too thick, add up to 1/2 cup reserved pasta water to loosen. Reserve additional pasta water as needed for final tossing.

Add the drained rigatoni to the pan with the sauce, peppers, and sausage. Toss gently to coat, adding up to 1/2–1 cup reserved pasta water to create a silky sauce that clings to the rigatoni. Cook together over medium heat 1–2 minutes so pasta absorbs a bit of sauce.

Remove from heat and stir in torn basil leaves and 1/2 cup of the grated cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as desired.

Serve immediately, passing remaining grated cheese at the table.