Orecchiette with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

By bnpolley

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 4 large sweet red peppers
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and halved
• 1 head garlic
• 1 12 ounce package sweet Italian chicken sausage (such as Al Fresco)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream or half-and-half
• 1 pound orecchiette pasta
• Fresh chopped parsley (optional)
• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Details

Adapted from keyingredient.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Rub 1 tablespoon of the olive oil on red peppers and onion halves; place on a rimmed baking sheet. Cut off top quarter of the garlic and rub remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil on it; wrap garlic in aluminum foil and place on same baking sheet. Roast at 450 degrees for 40 minutes, turning red peppers every 10 minutes. Place sausages on a separate baking sheet. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, place sausages in oven.

2. When cool enough to touch, remove stem, seeds and skin from peppers. Squeeze head of garlic to remove cloves. Place peppers, garlic cloves and onion in a blender with salt, pepper and cream. Blend until smooth. Slice sausages into coins; set aside.

3. Meanwhile, bring a pot of lightly salted water to boiling. Cook orecchiette 11 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and return to pot. Stir in sauce and sliced sausage. Garnish with parsley and cheese, if desired.