Spicy Sausage Ragu with Red Bell Peppers

Spicy Sausage Ragu with Red Peppers

This comes from one of my all time favorite cookbooks, Slow Cooker Revolution by the Editors of America's Test Kitchen. 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

2 pounds hot Italian sausage, removed from its casing

2 onions, minced

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I omit this b/c the sausage is spicy enough.)

1 cup dry red wine

1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 28 ounce can tomato sauce

2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Salt and pepper

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add sausage and brown well, breaking up large pieces with wooden spoon, about 6 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat left in skillet. 

2. Add onions, garlic, tomato paste, oregano, and red bell pepper to the fat in the skillet and cook over medium-high heat until onions are softened and lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer until reduced, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. 

3. Stir canned crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce into slow cooker. 

Cook on low 9-11 hours on low or 5-7 hours on high. 

4. Before serving, stir in parsley and season as needed with salt and pepper.  Serve over spaghetti or any other pasta. 

This makes a LOT of sauce.  I like to freeze half of it to use later. Cook once, eat several times.