Italian Sausage and Peppers

Method

1. 1

   Brown the sausages

   Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning until browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate; they need not be cooked through yet.

2. 2

   Soften the vegetables

   Keep the pan over medium heat. Add the peppers and onion and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until softened and lightly golden.

3. 3

   Cook the aromatics

   Add the garlic, oregano, fennel seeds and chilli flakes. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute, stirring until fragrant.

4. 4

   Deglaze the pan

   Pour in the red wine and simmer over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits, until reduced by about half.

5. 5

   Simmer the sauce

   Stir in the chopped tomatoes, salt and black pepper. Return the sausages and any resting juices to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, turning the sausages once.

6. 6

   Finish and check

   Uncover and simmer over low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce thickens and the sausages reach 71°C (160°F) in the centre. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.

Tips

• Scrape the pan well when adding the wine to lift the browned bits into the sauce.
• Keep the heat gentle once the sausages are back in the pan so the sauce simmers rather than boils hard.
• Check the temperature in the centre of a sausage, avoiding the pan or any filling pocket.

Swaps

• Use chicken or vegetable stock in place of the red wine, though the sauce will have a milder flavour.
• Swap the parsley for chopped fresh basil.

Storing

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days and reheat gently in a pan until piping hot.