Italian Sausage and Vegetable Saute

Submitted by Kittencalrecipezazz

"This is sauteed first in frypan then finished off to bake in the oven to melt the cheese, just make certain that you have a large enough frypan for this, and use the large Italian sausages for this and remove the meat from the casings."

 

• Ready In: 55mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 4 -6 tablespoons oil
• 4 -5 Italian sausages, casings removed (or use as many sausages as desired)
• 2 cups eggplants, diced to about 1/2-inch
• 2 cups zucchini, cut into about 1-inch cubes
• 1 small green bell pepper, coarsley chopped (can use red in place or green or use both)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic
• 1 -2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional or to taste)
• 1 (28 ounce) can plum tomatoes, drained and chopped (or use diced tomatoed, drained)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• salt and black pepper (or can use cayenne pepper)
• 1⁄3 cup grated parmesan cheese (or to taste)
• 1 1⁄2 cups grated mozzarella cheese (or to taste)

directions

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick frypan or Dutch oven.
2. Add in the sausage meat and cook breaking up the meat with a spoon (this should take about 10-12 minutes)then remove the sausage to a bowl.
3. To the same skillet/pot add in the chopped eggplant, zucchini, bell pepper, onion, garlic, dried basil, chili flakes; saute for about 7-8 minutes or until just softened.
4. Add the cooked sausage meat back to the skillet or pot with the chopped drained tomatoes, parsley and black pepper (or cayenne if using) reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Add in 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese; mix to combine.
6. Set oven to 350 degrees and butter a 8 x 8-inch baking dish (or larger).
7. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish.
8. Sprinkle the top with about 1-1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese.
9. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the cheese melts and is bubbling.

Reviews

[spottedcrow]

Except for cutting up the veggies and "unskinning" the sausages, it was quite easy.<br/>I used Romano cheese because I didn't have any mozzarella. I used sweet sausages because hubby doesn't care for hot. <br/>I used it over Rigatoni pasta. <br/>He actually ASKED for me to make it again.

 

[Brooke the Cook in]

This was a great use of those summer time garden veggies! Tastes great as a main dish, and would be very nice with a loaf of crusty bread on the side. I used fresh tomatoes and basil and didn't have an eggplant ready so I used an extra zucchini instead. We found that two sausages was plenty for us. I'd be happy to make this again. Looking forward to leftovers tomorrow!