Homemade Italian Sausage

One thing I really missed when I moved to Germany and Japan was a good Homemade Italian Sausage and the smell of Pepper & Onion  with grilled Sausage on the street of Little Italy in NYC during San Gennaro Festival or at my parent's deck during Summer barbeque in Connecticut. So I had learn how to make it. I borrowed recipes from different chefs and fused them according to my flavor.

Basic Italian Sausage without casing

Ingredients

1 kg of lean Ground Pork or 500 grams ground Pork and 500 gram ground Veal

1 tablespoon fresh ground Fennel seed

2 big cloves of garlic, crushed

1 ½ teaspoons Paprika

2 teaspoon of fresh ground Black Pepper

1 tablespoon of Sea Salt

3 tablespoon chopped Flat Leave Parsley

Instruction

1.       Mix all ingredients in a bowl well.

2.       Cover and let it sit in a cool place at least 5-6 hours before you use. Best when you let keep it over night

Tip: you can add other herbs such sage, oregano, rosemary or other as you wish spices like chili or other ingredients like mushroom or truffle.

This is delicious for pasta sauce, lasagne, sandwiches by making patties and fried or grill them and top with pepper and onion, pizza topping and more

Pasta with Homemade Italian Sausage

Ingredients

500 gram Homemade Italian Sausage

1 large Onion, sliced

1 large Sweet Pepper, cut into strip

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

6 medium Plum/Italien Tomato –peeled, seeded and roughly chopped

2 tablespoons Flat Leave Parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon Tomato Puree

Grated Parmesan Cheese for serving

Dried Oregano (optional)

Sea Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste

Pasta as you wish  

Instruction

To peel Tomatoes – drop tomatoes in hot boiling water for 30 second drain and rinse with cold water. Then pull the skin with finger. It should come off easily

1.       In medium saucepan- heat olive oil over medium heat, add Sweet Pepper cook for 3 minutes then add Onion and cook for another 5 minute. Remove from the pan and set aside

2.      In the same sauce pan over medium-low heat and add Homemade Italian Sausage – by quickly spooning into bite side. Stir occasionally so they don’t stick to each other and the pan. Cook for a few minutes until almost done but still pink

3.      Add Chopped Tomatoes cook for a few minutes add prepared sweet pepper and onion, chopped Flat Leave Parsley, Tomato Puree, Salt and Black Pepper. Lower the heat and let it simmer for about 15-20 minutes

4.      In the meanwhile prepare pasta according to instruction for aldente!

5.      Before serving add about 2 tablespoons of Pasta cooking water to the sauce. Taste and adjust flavor with salt and pepper or dried Oregano

Tip for serving – In the same pasta pot or large glass or ceramic bowl mix little sauce with pasta well then top with the extra sauce in serving pasta dishes.