Grilled Italian Sausage with Marinara Sauce over Penne Pasta

Who’s up for making a made-from-scratch marinara sauce with fresh summer garden herbs?  Sounds like a lot of work?  It’s easier than you think. This is a classic spicy red sauce prepared in the old world Italian tradition. We’ll serve it with grilled Italian sausage and Cremini mushrooms over a bed of penne pasta.

The sausage takes center stage — made locally in Johnsonville, a town in Eastern Wisconsin (their brats are legendary!)  Many large retail grocers will carry it.

My family loves this recipe. I’m trusting yours will too.

For another version of my homemade marinara using garden tomatoes, click here.

Ingredients:

1 package Johnsonville® mild Italian sausage (5 links) 2 28-oz. cans Red Gold® tomatoes (one crushed and one diced) 4 large cloves fresh garlic; peeled and minced 6 large Cremini mushrooms; washed, stemmed and sliced 1 small onion; peeled and sliced lengthwise into 1/4″ strips 1/2 cup red wine 1/2 cup fresh Italian oregano leaves; minced 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves; minced 1 green bell pepper; cored and sliced 1 red bell pepper; cored and sliced 1 tsp. sugar 1 tsp. beef boullion granules Sea salt, to taste Hot red pepper flakes, to taste 1 pound penne pasta, cooked al dente according to package directions (about 11-12 minutes) XV olive oil Grated fresh hard Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat an outdoor charcoal grill with enough coals for a medium-hot fire. Mound the briquettes and fire until white hot; about twenty minutes. Cook the sausage links covered over indirect heat with the top vent partially choked down. Turn every 5 minutes until firm and evenly browned. Remove and set aside.

In a 3-quart heavy enameled cast-iron sauce pot, heat 1/4 cup XV olive oil until shimmering, then add the minced garlic. Stir constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn. Cook for three minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for an additional three minutes, then add the sliced onion and a pinch of sea salt. Cook until the onions are tender and translucent. Add the red wine to deglaze the pot. Add the two cans of tomatoes, the oregano and basil and stir. Add the sugar, red pepper flakes and beef boullion. Simmer on low, partially covered, stirring occasionally for at least two hours. You cannot rush a good marinara sauce! After the first hour, add the sliced red and green bell pepper. Cut the Italian sausage at a bias in 1/2″ chunks and add to the pot. The sauce can be left to simmer for at least six hours with great results. Just make sure to keep the heat at an absolute minimum.

Boil 3 quarts of water in a separate stock pot. Add 1 tsp. of sea salt. Cook the penne pasta until just al dente. Drain well and serve with the sauce, topped with shredded hard Parmesan cheese.

Serves six comfortably Total cooking/prep time: 4-6 hours

Fresh basil with flowering blossoms