Recently I did some very good work on a response brief for an attorney I work with infrequently — only on “targeted” issues, as he puts it (i.e., hard stuff). I did an excellent job and came up with a pretty solid defense. He accepted my work without comment, revisions, or thanks. The case settled shortly thereafter (my brief was important to the settlement process — a “priority”), but when I inquired about the details of the settlement, all he would tell me was that he “got it done.” Twice. Like Larry the Cable Guy and his “Git-R-Done” shtick. As you can imagine, that did not sit well with me, although it did take care of a problem, in that I will not work for him again. I have a very low tolerance for that kind of nonsense.
When it comes to dinner, sometimes you just have to “Git-R-Done.” Inspired by the attorney who I will not work for again, this hearty pasta dish will git-r-done in no time. The flavors remind me of the grilled peppers and sausages at the Manhattan street fairs that I used to frequent years ago.
- 8 ounces penne pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 ounces hot Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium red, yellow, and/or orange bell peppers, sliced Into 2"-long strips
- ¼ cup red wine
- 18-ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley (optional garnish)
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Cook until the sausage is browned, breaking the sausage up with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and peppers to the sausage, and cook, stirring frequently, until peppers begin to soften, approximately 5 minutes.
- Add the red wine to the pan and as it simmers, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook for approximately five minutes. Add the cooked penne to the pan and stir to coat it with the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley, if using, and serve hot.
Getting saucy
A noodle without any sauce is just a noodist
Thank you Heather!
AWESOME post! And the dinner looks amazing. It’ll be on our table this weekend. Thanks! (Maybe with your Raspberry Fool for dessert, because I’m thinking what a thankless goober this guy is for effectively taking himself off of the list for your future brilliance.)
AWESOME post! And the dinner looks amazing. It’ll be on our table this weekend. Thanks! (Maybe with your Raspberry Fool for dessert, because I’m thinking what a thankless goober this guy is for effectively taking himself off of the list for your future brilliance.)