Sausage by Victoria Wise Read Free Book Online Page A

blend.
    Sauté or grill, or cook as directed in individual recipes. (The uncooked sausage will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 week.)

    Pittsburgh-Style Sausage Sandwich with Chunky Tomato and Bell Pepper Sauce

Pittsburgh-Style Sausage Sandwich with Chunky Tomato and Bell Pepper Sauce
    Why Pittsburgh? Because James Potenziani, known to all as “Chooch,” is Italian American and grew up in Pittsburgh. He was the master behind the sausage machine at Pig-by-the-Tail. He is also a football person (he always roots for the Steelers), and he devised the Pittsburgh sausage sandwich to celebrate on Super Bowl day. It became a year-round favorite at Pig-by-the-Tail.
    SERVES 6 TO 8
    Sauce
    ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
    2 yellow or white onions, halved lengthwise and cut into ½-inch-wide strips
    2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
    3 green bell peppers, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut lengthwise into ½-inch-wide strips
    2 small red or green chiles, finely chopped
    1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
    2 pounds fresh tomatoes, chopped, or 3 cups canned plum tomatoes, chopped, with juices
    Kosher salt
    ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
    2 pounds Sweet Italian Sausage , formed into 1¼-inch balls
    6 to 8 Italian or French bread rolls, or 2 baguettes
    To make the sauce, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bell peppers, chiles, and oregano and sauté until the onions and peppers have softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, salt to taste, and the pepper, decrease the heat to maintain a brisk simmer, and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 45 minutes.
    Meanwhile, brown the meatballs. Add just enough oil to a large sauté pan to film the bottom and place over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add the sausage balls and brown all around, about 10 minutes. As each batch is done, transfer to a plate.
    When the sauce is ready, add the browned sausage balls and continue cooking until the sauce is reduced and the sausages are cooked through and tender, about 20 minutes.
    To serve, split the rolls lengthwise. Or, if using baguettes, cut each baguette crosswise into thirds or quarters, and then split the sections lengthwise. Place the bottom halves of the rolls, cut sides up, on individual plates. Divide the sausage balls evenly among the roll bottoms and spoon plenty of sauce over the top. Close the sandwiches and serve right away with lots of napkins.

Bread Pizza with Fried Egg and Sausage
    When I was growing up, fried egg sandwiches were one of my mother’s specialties, and we often had them for lunch on weekends. The sandwiches were made in her New Mexico cooking style: The eggs were turned once and fried until the whites were crisp around the edges and the yolks were well set. Then they were transferred to slices of white bread that had been slathered with mayonnaise, and a lettuce leaf was slipped between the egg and the bread. Here’s my contemporary version of that homey sandwich. Its siren call of melted, oozing cheese and added bonus of sausage bits turn my mom’s simpler lunchtime sandwich into a mini-meal on bread. In keeping with the pizza theme, I call for sweet Italian or Tuscan sausage. But American Breakfast Sausage or Spicy Garlic Sausage would also do nicely.
    SERVES 6
    Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking and brushing on bread
    ½ pound Sweet Italian Sausage or Tuscan Sausage
    2 tablespoons butter
    6 large eggs
    1 (1-pound) loaf
ciabatta
or other rustic Italian bread
    6 ounces Monterey jack cheese, coarsely grated
    ¼ teaspoon chile flakes
    6 thin tomato slices, cut in half
    Preheat the oven to 350°F.
    Add just enough oil to a large sauté pan to film the bottom and place over medium heat. Crumble the sausage into chunks and add it to the pan. Cook until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the sausage to