Sausages in the Italian Cuisine

Having lunch or dinner in Italy, in a restaurant or in a trattoria ( a family-run restaurant), means to engage in a 2 hours tour of specialties, very tasty, creamy, ingredient-based or oven cooked.

Italy cuisine numbers almost 200 kinds of cheese, including the famous Parmigiano Reggiano, and 300 types of sausages and are sold in the huge open markets, specific to Italy.

Italian Sausage and Mushrooms Ragu

1 large onion chopped
2 carrots chopped
1 celery stalk chopped
30 g olive oil
400 g Italian sausage
150 ml white wine
300 g white mushrooms, chopped
300 g tomatoes puree

Put the mushrooms into boiled water for 30 minutes, dry it and chop it.
Put the olive oil over medium heat and add the onions, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes. Break the sausage into small pieces, add it to the vegetable mixture, cook until lightly browned, add the wine and bring to a simmer. Cook until most of the wine is evaporated. Add the tomato puree and turn to low heat and cook, for 1 hour.Serve over pasta.

Sausage and Zucchini Pasta

650 g Italian sausage
20 ml olive oil
400 g diced tomatoes, undrained
75 ml beef broth
2 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
270 g sliced zucchini
150 g grated Parmesan cheese

Put olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and addthe sausages cut into small pieces. Cook the sausage until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked sausage to a paper towel-lined plate.Pour the drippings out of the skillet. Add the tomatoes, the beef broth, and pasta to the skillet. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium. Cook, uncovered, 15 minutes, stirring frequently.Stir in zucchini; cook another 5 minutes or until pasta is tender.
Add the sausage to the skillet. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and and heat.

Sausage Portobello Pizzas
3 large Portobello mushrooms, stems removed
300 g Italian sausage
75 g chopped canned artichoke hearts
8-10 black olives, sliced
100 g shredded mozzarella cheese
100 ml marinara sauce
Dried oregano
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place the mushroom caps, stem side up, on a baking sheet. Add the olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add a little olive oil and the sausage. Break up and brown the sausage, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl. Add the artichokes and olives and mix together. Remove the mushrooms from the oven.Top each with a layer of marinara sauce.Add the sausage mixture and sprinkle with oregano. Top each pizza with some mozzarella cheese.Return to the oven and bake for 3-4 minutes.