Our Simple but Delicious Rigatoni
By Patty and Cary ~ My Simply Sage
Easy with the help of a premade sauce—homemade or your favorite store-bought sauce. This recipe makes about 6 servings.
Ingredients
1 pound ground Italian sausage (sweet, hot, or a combination of both—this is our preference).
1 24-ounce jar prepared sauce (your own recipe or your favorite brand—mine is vodka sauce).
1/4 cup sliced roasted red peppers (store-bought or roast your own—see instructions below).
1/4 cup fresh basil, cut into a chiffonade. (A fancy French word for a very simple technique. Stack a few basil leaves, roll them up, and slice them thinly into ribbons. That’s it—you just made a chiffonade.)
1 pound rigatoni pasta
Salt and pepper to taste (or use your own favorite Italian seasonings).
Instructions
Brown the sausage in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain and set aside. If you’re short on time, this can be done earlier, or the sausage can be cooked and frozen for later use.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions while heating the sauce.
Pour the sauce into the skillet and add the drained sausage.
When the sauce is heated through, add the roasted red peppers and cooked, drained pasta. Reduce to a low heat and simmer just a few minutes—just long enough to coat the pasta and bring everything together.
Now, turn off the heat and stir in the fresh basil.
A delicious pasta dish awaits your taste buds. Enjoy!
For a little clarification:
Chiffonade:
Literal meaning: The French word comes from chiffon, meaning “rag” or “cloth,” translating roughly to “made of little rags.”
Grammar: It functions as both a noun (the resulting shredded pile) and a verb (the action of cutting).
Common uses: Perfect for delicate herbs like basil, mint, and sage, or leafy greens like spinach, kale, and lettuce. It is ideal for toppings, fillings, or garnishes on pasta, soups, and salads.
How to Make Your Own Roasted Red Peppers
Cut the red pepper into quarters. Remove the seeds and ribs and place them, skin-side up, on a foil-covered sheet pan.
Broil for approximately 15 minutes, or until the skins are mostly blackened.
Remove from the oven and carefully fold the foil around the peppers to make a sealed packet.
Let them sit for about 15 minutes. The steam trapped inside the foil will help loosen the skins.
Unwrap the peppers and remove the skins with your fingers or a paper towel. The skins don’t have to come off perfectly. Now slice the peppers lengthwise. You can use them now, or store them in the refrigerator for later use.
Simple is not where you start, simple is where you arrive!