Italian Sausage Sandwiches

I've always made this with sweet Italian sausage, but have recently started doing it with Polish kielbasa as well. The directions are for Italian sausage and works just fine for either hot or sweet sausage; the Polish sausage doesn't require parboiling unless you just want to do so to reduce fat.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 4 -6  italian sweet sausage or 4 -6  hot Italian sausages
• 1 1⁄4 cups dry white wine or 1 1⁄4 cups water, divided
• 2 -4  teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2  large onions, thinly sliced,lengthwise
• 2 -3  cloves garlic, minced
• 3 -4  large red bell peppers or 3 -4  large green bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
•  salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 4 -6  large  crusty  French rolls, split and warmed in oven
• 4 -12  slices provolone cheese, 1 to 2 slices per sandwich (desirable) (optional)
• 1 -2  cup  fairly spicy  marinara sauce (if not spicy, simmer with garlic and red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to taste)

Directions

1. Poke the sausages all over with a fork, and place in a large lidded skillet with 1-2 Tsp extra virgin olive oil and 1 cup white wine or water, turn on heat to medium, and partially cover.
2. When pan begins to boil, turn sausages, and continue to simmer, turning several more times.
3. When liquid has evaporated, uncover, and continue cooking until sausages have browned to your taste.
4. Remove sausages from pan, and set on paper towels to drain.
5. Drain all grease from skillet, but do not wash or rinse it.
6. Add 1-2 Tsp more extra virgin olive oil to pan, and place on medium heat.
7. Add onions, and garlic, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
8. Moisture from the onions should be enough to deglaze the pan, but you can add 1/4 cup white wine or water, if desired, to help with the job.
9. Stir the onions, scraping the bottom to pick up and dissolve browned bits from the sausage.
10. Continue cooking and tossing until onions are almost translucent.
11. Add peppers, and toss to combine with onions.
12. Turn up heat to medium-high, and continue to toss and cook until peppers are crisp-tender or to your taste.
13. Bury the sausage in the vegetables to reheat if necessary.
14. I usually serve on crusty French rolls or Bolillos, crusty Mexican rolls that have been heated in the oven.
15. Either one is better than your typical hoagie roll.
16. I split the warmed roll, brush on a little marinara sauce, split the sausages lengthwise, and pile on the onions and peppers.
17. If desired, line the roll with a slice of provolone and/or place one on top of the sausage and veggies.