Bowties with Sausage and Roasted Peppers

During these dark days with no oven (long, drawn out sigh) I'm grateful for dinners that can all be done on the stove top like this. Granted, I'd have to use roasted peppers from a jar, but hey, these are tough, oven-less times we're living in.

It's kind of impossible to not like this meal, my kids happily chowed this down. Originally the recipe called for Orecchiette, but there was none to be found at the grocery store, so I found these itty bitty bowties instead, aren't they cute! To lighten it up a bit, I used turkey sausage, which in my mind is just as delicious. I also loved the fresh roasted peppers, they offer a bright and sweet addition to this savory meal. This recipe makes a lot, so when we pulled it out for leftovers, I tossed it in marinara to make it a bit different, and it was just as delicious. This is so great for a quick and easy weeknight meal, enjoy!



Bowties with Sausage and Roasted Peppers
Adapted by Great Food Fast by Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 medium red bell peppers and 2 medium yellow bell peppers, four flat sides cut off core, ribs and seeds discarded
course salt and fresh ground pepper
1 lb orecchiette, small bowties or other short pasta (next time I would use about 3/4 lb)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 lb sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat the broiler. Place the peppers, skin side up, on a fol-lined baking sheet; broil 4 inches from the heat until charred, 18-20 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; steam for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a paper towel, rub off the pepper skins, reserving any juices in the bowl. thinly slice the peppers crosswise into 1/4 inch strips; return to bowl. Set aside.

2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the roasted peppers; cook until heated through.

4. Transfer the sausage mixture to a large bowl; add the pasta, butter, reserved pasta water, and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine.