Fire-Roasted Tomato and Hot Sausage 'n Beef Rigatoni
Pasta tossed with peppers simmered in a beef and sausage tomato sauce and topped with tons of cheese is a meal sure to get calls for seconds.
Ingredients
- 2 large red bell peppers
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more for drizzling
- 3/4 pound bulk hot Italian sausage
- 1/2 pound ground beef sirloin
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 hot cherry pepper, seeded and chopped, or Fresno chili pepper, thinly sliced
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup spicy red wine
- 1 can (28 ounces) or 2 cans (15 ounces each) diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1/2 cup beef stock
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- Pecorino Romano cheese, for serving
- A generous handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped
Preparation
Char the bell peppers under a hot broiler or directly over a high flame on the stovetop to blacken them all over, turning occasionally. Place the charred peppers in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let cool. Peel off and discard the skins and seeds. Quarter the peppers lengthwise, then slice crosswise into strips.
In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and beef and brown, crumbling the meat, 7-8 minutes. Stir in the onion, garlic and hot pepper until softened; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then add the wine and reduce for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, stock and bell peppers; simmer to thicken.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water. Add the pasta and the reserved cooking water to the sauce and toss for 1-2 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls with lots of cheese and the parsley. Gild the lily with an extra drizzle of EVOO.
