Rigatoni “Abruzzi” with Sausage and Peppers
Years ago, when Chef Rosario was the Executive Chef at a restaurant chain, he paid tribute to the founder, who was born in the Abruzzi region of Italy with this recipe. He called the dish Rigatoni Abruzzi, and it was an instant classic and best seller. The reason for its popularity is that it embodies all the beloved attributes of a pasta dinner: easy to prepare, affordable, crowd pleasing, well balanced, healthy and nutritious, but most of all, irresistibly delicious!
Try it out for yourself! Buon appetito and SHARE THE PASTA!!
Rigatoni “Abruzzi” with Sausage and Peppers
Ingredients
- 8 oz Rigatoni (or another kind of short cut pasta like penne)
- 1 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 oz Sweet Italian sausage (or a plant-based sausage alternative if desired) 6 oz is about 2 sausage links
- 2 Garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 White onion, diced
- 3 Small sweet bell peppers
- 14 oz Can of Italian crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp Fresh oregano or marjoram leaves
- 4 tbsp Pecorino Romano, grated (or a vegan option)
- Crushed hot red chili peppers to taste
- Salt to taste (for pasta water and sauce)
Instructions
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Bring a large pot of water (4 to 5 quarts) to a boil over high heat.
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While water is heating, prepare all the ingredients: remove sausage meat from casing and break it into walnut-size pieces; set aside. Dice onion, chop garlic, and clean peppers by removing the stems and cores. Cut peppers into 2” pieces.
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Heat the olive oil in a large, fairly deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook for a few minutes, stirring often until it just begins to turn golden.
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Add chili pepper, peppers, onion and garlic.
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Sauté for a few minutes, stirring often until vegetables are golden and fragrant.
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Add tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes on low heat, keeping a steady simmer. Stir often with a wooden spoon, breaking up tomatoes as you mix.
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Season with salt to taste and keep on very low heat while the pasta cooks.
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Once the water has reached a rapid boil, add salt and then the pasta. Cook until very al dente (about 1 minute less than the recommended cooking time on package directions).
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When pasta is ready, reserve ½ cup of pasta water and drain the rest. Return pasta to the pot, add reserved pasta water as needed to keep it moist and half of the “Abruzzi” sauce, stirring over low heat for a minute or so, until most of the water has been absorbed by the pasta.
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Remove pot from heat and add the Pecorino Romano cheese and the fresh herbs, stirring until all the flavors are well incorporated.
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Transfer to a platter or portion onto individual plates. Top with the rest of the “Abruzzi” sauce and serve immediately, adding more grated Pecorino Romano if desired.
Recipe Notes
Sommelier’s Notes
The Abruzzi region offers perfect red wines to pair with rustic pasta dishes. The most important is Montepulciano d' Abruzzo, made from the Montepulciano wine grape. (It should not be confused with Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, a Tuscan wine made mostly from Sangiovese grapes.) The DOC region for Montepulciano d'Abruzzo reaches from the Apennine foothills to the Adriatic coast.
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo D.O.C. Cantina Zaccagnini is a rich dark red with berry and plum notes that stands up nicely to hearty dishes. The vintner attaches a tralcetto— a short segment of the actual vine—to the bottle neck as a symbol of approval.
