Rigatoni With Sweet Italian Sausage And Zucchini
This dish is one of Steve's favorites, loaded with sweet Italian sausage, sweet bell peppers, zucchini, diced tomatoes, and huge shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Equipment
- 2 saucepots 6-quart, 1 with a tight-fitting lid
- 1 Dutch oven 6-quart
- 1 indoor grill pan
- 1 chef's knife
- 2 cutting boards 1 meat-safe
- 1 vegetable peeler
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage 5 links
- 1 pound (1 box) Rigatoni
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 yellow onion Diced
- 3 large zucchini Cut into half-moons and quartered
- 1 1/2 cups mini multi-colored sweet bell peppers Seeded and diced
- 3 cloves garlic Thinly-sliced
- 1 15-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes Drained
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper Freshly-ground
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 + 1 quart + cup chicken stock Unsalted
- 1 1/2 cups good white wine (Pinot Grigio)
Garnishes:
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (3 to 4 shavings per serving)
- 1/2 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley Finely chopped
Instructions
- Start by using a fork to prick 3 sets of holes into the sausage links on both sides. In a large saucepot with a tight-fitting (glass) lid, add the sausage links. Pour 1 cup of the chicken stock over the sausage. Turn the heat to medium, and cover, allowing the sausages to poach in the broth for 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate.Preheat an indoor grill pan over medium-high heat. Arrange the links on the grill pan. Grill the sausages for 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer the links to cool before slicing them on the bias. Set aside.In a preheated Dutch oven over medium heat, add olive oil, diced onions, red pepper flakes, kosher salt, and fresh-ground black pepper, and cook until onions are soft and translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add the diced peppers, zucchini, and dried oregano, frequently stirring, and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Add the sliced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.Next, add the wine, and bring it to a boil before adding the sliced grilled sausage, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a quart of chicken stock, stirring occasionally, and simmer for 10-12 minutes.In a large pot of boiling salted water, drop the pasta. Cook until al dente, around 10-12 minutes.Drain the pasta well. Add the hot pasta to the bottom of a serving bowl(s). Ladle the delicious sausage and zucchini over top. Include a ladle of the broth, too. Using a vegetable peeler, add a few shavings of the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over the top of each serving. Finally, garnish with the parsley.There you have it, my Rigatoni with Sweet Italian Sausage and Zucchini.
Notes
1) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through a preferred online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.
