Penne w/ Sausage Tri-Colored Peppers in Tomato Cream Sauce

[Mermade]

This is something I came up with that is a family favorite. We have it at least once or twice a month and no one ever gets tired of it. Delicious, fast, and easy.

<u>Penne w/ Sausage and Tri-colored peppers in Tomato Cream Sauce</u>

Italian pork sausage cut into round slices or remove the casing and cut into chunks (use mild, medium or spicy as you like)

Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers sliced (I like the mix for color—you can just go for just one of course)

White Mushrooms sliced

Chopped onion

Olive oil

1 clove of garlic

4-5 small tomatoes chopped (small = Campari-size tomatoes, you could alternatively use a couple of medium tomatoes, or 1 large tomato)

Cream

Crushed red pepper

Dried or Fresh Basil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Penne Pasta

Freshly grated Parmesean cheese



Add a small amount of olive oil to a large sauté pan. Add sausage and cook until almost done. Add mushrooms, onion, garlic, crushed red pepper (to your taste), a bit of salt and pepper cook until onion is almost tender leaning towards translucent. Add tomatoes stir until tomatoes start to break down a minute or two—onions should be perfectly tender now. If using dried basil I toss it in with the tomatoes, if using fresh wait until next step when cream is added. Add cream (a goodly amount, use judgment, this is forming the base of the tomato cream sauce—add enough to coat the pasta but not enough to be soupy). Cook on medium heat for a few minutes—simmering the cream sauce. It will thicken the sauce a bit. Toss in peppers and cook a minute or two—tender but with still a bite to them—you want this for the texture don’t let peppers get too soft or mushy, blech. Taste sauce and correct seasonings. Toss with cooked and drained penne. Garnish with fresh basil. Top with freshly grated cheese. Experiment around and adjust to your taste.

[SossMan]

yummy....is there a non-cream alternative that might make it a little less fatty?

[Copernicus]

[ QUOTE ]
yummy....is there a non-cream alternative that might make it a little less fatty?

[/ QUOTE ]

Ive never found a decent cream substitute for hot foods...love to hear any. I would have one less sausage and stick with the cream!

[Mermade]

You might try adding some cream and some half and half. I've never done it though and so wouldn't be able to vouch for the results. My guess is that it might still be good but you'd compromise some of the richness in flavor.

I'd rather eat a little less of a dish or have it less frequently than compromise rich ingredients like cream and butter. There is nothing wrong with a little cream for the health conscious just don't eat dishes with cream sauces everyday. Most things are good in moderation.

If you're concerned that the dish sounds too heavy, it's not. The sauce while it does contain quite a bit of fat feels light not heavy.

If you try out the recipe with a combo of cream and half and half, let me know how it turns out.

[Jay.]

I just had something like this, but with arrabiata sauce and chillis. That was great.