Every September, New York City's Little Italy holds its beloved street festival, the Feast of San Gennaro, an eleven-day event hawking its signature sausages and peppers, among other treats, to millions of visitors each year. I for one love the greasy chunks of sausage cooked with onions and peppers and served on a white roll. But let me tell you about sausage and peppers in Italy: They're made with real Italian pork sausage and fresh-picked garden peppers--and taste better than those in Little Italy. Even so, Anna Maria Correale was shocked at how wonderful lean turkey sausage tasted in my version. When I'm really committed to improving my health and getting in shape, I stick to these. Or at least until my willpower runs out and those San Gennaro sausages and peppers start looking good again. Ah, just kidding. Sort of.
Ingredients
- olive oil cooking spray
- 4 links lean Italian turkey sausage, such as Jennie-O
- 7 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1/4 cup no fat, sodium, or sugar added chopped tomatoes, such as Pomi
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 4 whole wheat split-top hot dog rolls, such as Matthew's Salad Rolls
Directions
Method
Preheat the broiler.
Coat a large nonstick skillet with 8 seconds of cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Add the sausage links and cook until they are browned on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the sausages and place on a plate.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic to the skillet; cook until it starts to brown, about 1 minute, then add the onions and peppers. Cook until the peppers soften, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Return the sausages to the pan and simmer until they are fully cooked, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and turn off the heat.
Split the hot dog rolls and toast them under the broiler until they are lightly browned. Place each roll on a plate; place 1 link of sausage on each roll, then top each sausage with the pepper and onion mixture.
Tip: When you're cooking the sausage, don't put the heat on full blast or you will risk breaking the casings.
Check out the video playlist above to watch Rocco make this recipe.
In "Now Eat This! Italy," watch New York Times best-selling author and celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito as he travels to Italy to learn how to make all our favorite Italian dishes from the real Mamas of Italy like lasagna Bolognese with Lucia Ercolano, Spaghetti Vongole with Daniella Miccio and Insalata Caprese with Maria Ercolano. In this unique intersection of travel, adventure, culinary and healthy Rocco answers the question, "Can you eat pasta and lose weight?"
Produced: 2013 By: Savory Place Media
