Italian Sausage Ragu with Ziti

By avpeters

Ingredients

• 1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
• 1 1/2 cups diced yellow bell pepper
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 can diced tomatoes (28 oz.)
• 2 tsp. anchovy paste (or 2 oil-packed fillets, minced)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 lb. dry ziti or mostaccioli pasta
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Kosher salt & black pepper to taste
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Step 1

Brown the sausage in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Crush meat into small pieces using a potato masher. Add the bell pepper and onion; cook 5 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste and garlic. Sauté until the paste darkens, 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently so it doesn’t scorch.
Deglaze pan with wine, scraping the bits from the bottom; reduce wine until nearly evaporated. Add tomatoes, anchovy paste, sugar, and pepper flakes. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the ziti. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.
Finish ragu with parsley; season with salt and pepper. Serve ragu over ziti, garnished with parsley and Parmesan.
Steps to Success

1. Brown the sausage over medium-high heat, crushing it with a potato masher to make the pieces finer.

2. Add the wine and tomatoes and simmer the sauce. Stir in parsley, salt, and pepper just before serving.