I have noticed a slight change in the weather, at least in the mornings. More breezes, more clouds, more cooler air. I got hungry for some of my fall favorites, such as polenta topped with a sauce loaded with Italian sausage and mushrooms. So, that was dinner the night before writing this.
There are so many delicious recipes that feature Italian sausage, I know it will be hard for me to select which recipes to share here. I like the sweet Italian sausages best, and whenever I find them I load up so I can stock them in the freezer.
I don’t mind the hot ones, but my husband avoids pepper-hot foods whenever possible. What I think is mild, he takes a bite and acts like flames are shooting out of his mouth. I’m sure you all know someone like this.
Let’s get to those recipes now, and I hope you will find at least one favorite.
Cat’s polenta with sausages
This is one of those meals I don’t use a recipe for. But this is as close as I can get. My family always makes a firm polenta that you can slice. Some people prefer a soft mush. We also serve polenta and sausages with a little bit of blue cheese or Gorgonzola, but many do not like it, so it is up to you.
For the polenta:
9 cups water
3 cups dry polenta meal
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or add more when you can taste it, if desired
1 cube butter
For the sauce:
1 package Italian sausage (about 5)
1 container fresh mushrooms (anywhere from 8-oz. to 16-oz.)
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce, or the equivalent of homemade
1/2 cup red wine, such as Merlot
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onions, optional
2 teaspoons minced garlic, optional
Grated Parmesan cheese, to taste
1. For polenta: In a large kettle, heat the water to boiling; add salt. Slowly add the polenta, stirring briskly. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover the pot, as the mixture bubbles and splatters. You will need to stir quite often for about 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Even when the mixture gets stirred, it usually leaves a thin crust on the bottom of the pot. When you pour the polenta into a serving dish, you will likely see this stuck to the bottom of the pot. Just run some water to the pot and let it soak for a while, and it will lift right off. Then you can discard it.
3. While the polenta is cooking, butter a large casserole dish, preferably glass or ceramic. When the polenta is almost done, cut the cube of butter into pats, then drop each piece into the hot mixture in the pot. Stir briskly with a wooden spoon as the butter melts, blending it in evenly. This will not only add flavor, but it smooths out the mixture.
4. Pour the hot polenta into the prepared casserole dish, spreading it evenly. Set it aside and allow to cool until it becomes firm enough to slice. This will take some time, so it is best to prepare the polenta well ahead of when you plan to serve it.
5. For the sauce: In a large kettle, add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Pierce the sausages several times with a knife tip, then place them into the bottom of the kettle. Brown them over medium-high heat, turning them once so both sides get browned. Remove to a small platter and cut them into slices as thin or as wide as you want. Return the slices to the kettle.
6. Clean the mushrooms and cut them in half. Add them to the kettle. If you wish, you can add some chopped onions and garlic to the mixture at this point. Cook mixture until the mushrooms are done (and onions, if using).
7. Add the marinara sauce and red wine, mix well. Cover and simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. If it looks too thick, you can add water to suit your preferences.
8. To serve, cut the firm polenta into slices about an inch thick. Ladle some of the sausage-mushroom sauce over the slices. Sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese over the top and serve warm. Makes about 6 servings.
Italian sausage with penne
1 pound penne pasta
1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
6 cloves minced or crushed garlic
Extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan
2 jars (24-oz. each) marinara sauce of your choice
1 to 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (whole milk, not part skim)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
1. Preheat oven to 375. In a large pot with generously salted water, cook pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Drain and transfer back into the pot.
2. In a large pan over medium-high heat, cook the Italian sausage, breaking it up into crumbles. Cook until it becomes browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Add the minced or crushed garlic and the Italian seasoning and cook about 2 minutes more.
3. Stir in the marinara sauce and fresh basil. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. You will want the sauce slightly thickened.
4. Transfer about 3/4 of the meat sauce to the pot of cooked and drained penne. Stir to evenly coat the pasta. Transfer to a large 9-by-13-inch baking dish that has been coated with olive oil.
5. Evenly spread dollops of the ricotta over the top, slightly pushing some of it down into the mixture. Top with the remaining meat sauce. Top with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, distributing evenly.
6. Cover the pan with foil and bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until the cheese has melted and the casserole is heated through. Uncover and broil 1 to 2 minutes until slightly golden brown and bubbling. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings.
Sausage-stuffed mushrooms
24 ounces white or brown whole button mushrooms
1/2 pound ground spicy Italian sausage
1/2 large onion, minced
6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/3 cup dry white wine
Small amount olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 package (8-oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (freshly grated, if available)
Minced fresh parsley, for garnish
1. Clean mushrooms and remove stems. Finely chop the stems and set aside.
2. Add a small amount of olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, crumbling it up with a wooden spoon, for about 5 minutes or until it is cooked through and well-crumbled. Use a slotted spoon to remove cooked sausage to a plate, and reduce heat to medium-low.
3. Using the same skillet, cook the onion and garlic about 3 minutes, stirring often. Pour in the wine, and loosen any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Continue cooking until most of the wine has evaporated.
4. Add chopped mushroom stems, salt, thyme and pepper, and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to the plate with the sausage and allow to cool a few minutes.
5. In a mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, egg yolk and Parmesan cheese. Stir mixture together until well blended. Add the sausage and mushroom mixture and mix well.
6. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator for about 1 hour. This step helps firm up the filling so it doesn’t ooze too much during baking.
7. Preheat oven to 350. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
8. With a small spoon, fill the mushroom caps with the cream cheese mixture, pressing to pack firmly. You can add a bit more to form a mound on the top.
9. When all the mushroom caps are filled and placed on the baking sheet, bake them in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown. If you want, you can place them under the broiler at the end, to get them more golden brown.
10. After removing from oven, allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then sprinkle them with the minced parsley before serving. Makes 8 servings.
Italian sausage, peppers and onions
You can use this as a filling for a delicious sub-style sandwich with a nice, crusty roll. After the sausages are well browned, I like to cut them in half lengthwise, especially if making a sandwich.
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
2 bell peppers (any color), seeded and sliced
2 onions, sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper, or to taste
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
6 garlic cloves, minced or chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup Marsala wine or chicken broth
1 can (15-oz.) diced tomatoes
Salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
1. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until they are browned on both sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from pan and blot with paper towel.
2. Add Italian seasoning, basil and garlic to the pan and cook 2 minutes.
3. Add the wine, tomato paste and diced tomatoes and stir. Add the crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Add the sliced peppers, onions, salt and pepper and bring mixture to a simmer.
4. Return sausages to the skillet, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
5. If making this as a sandwich filling, cut the rolls in half lengthwise. Remove some of the soft bread from the bottom half of the rolls, being careful not to make any holes. Then add your sausage and vegetable filling. Makes 5 to 6 servings.