This is my “go to” dish when we are having company and you don’t want to serve something that screams “plain and ordinary” but you don’t want something too far off the beaten path of normal. This is one to serve for guests who appreciate spicy.
Ingredients
- 2 large red bell peppers
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more for drizzling
- 3/4 pound bulk hot Italian sausage
- 1/2 pound ground beef sirloin
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 hot cherry pepper, seeded and chopped, or Fresno chili pepper, thinly sliced
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup spicy red wine ( I use Witches Brew from Leelenau)
- 1 can (28 ounces) or 2 cans (15 ounces each) diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1/2 cup beef stock
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- Parm/Romano cheese, for serving
- A generous handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped
Serves 4
Preparation
Char the bell peppers under a hot broiler or directly over a high flame on the stovetop to blacken them all over, turning occasionally. Place the charred peppers in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let cool. Peel off and discard the skins and seeds. Quarter the peppers lengthwise, then slice crosswise into strips.
In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and beef and brown, crumbling the meat, 7-8 minutes. Stir in the onion, garlic and hot pepper until softened; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then add the wine and reduce for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, stock and bell peppers; simmer to thicken.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water. Add the pasta and the reserved cooking water to the sauce and toss for 1-2 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls with lots of cheese and the parsley. Gild the lily with an extra drizzle of EVOO.
From Rachel Ray
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