Italian Country Style Sausages and Potatoes with Tomato
A recipe adapted from Marcella's Italian Kitchen cookbook, she recommends using breakfast sausages because she finds the flavor of American-Italian sausage cloying. Either will work here, but our local farm produces some of the tastiest breakfast sausage around, so I use them here as well.
A recipe adapted from Marcella's Italian Kitchen cookbook, she recommends using breakfast sausages because she finds the flavor of American-Italian sausage cloying. Either will work here, but our local farm produces some of the tastiest breakfast sausage around, so I use them here as well.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6 bay leaves
- 1 1/2 lbs new potatoes quartered or halved if small
- 1 bunch kale stems removed, chopped
- 1 lb sweet breakfast sausages
- 1 lb sweet breakfast sausages
- 2 tbsp evoo
- 3 cloves garlic very thinly sliced
- 1 lb onions very thinly sliced
- 1 lb fresh ripe tomatoes or canned whole san marzano tomatoes
- 1 1/2 lbs new potatoes quartered or halved if small
- 1 bunch kale stems removed, chopped
- 2 tbsp evoo
- 3 cloves garlic very thinly sliced
- 1 lb onions very thinly sliced
- 1 lb fresh ripe tomatoes or canned whole san marzano tomatoes
- Carbohydrate 103.468366820458 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 15.3832351816876 g
- Fiber 16.7170974760147 g
- Protein 15.3174443883488 g
- Saturated Fat 2.25113277265189 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (1145g)
- Sodium 123.156523198787 mg
- Sugar 86.7512693444432 g
- Trans Fat 0.897005916324055 g
- Calories 580 calories
Step-by-step
- Pierce the sausages in a couple places to allow the fat to render. Place in a saucepan with the oil, garlic, and onion. Place over low heat and cover, letting slowly cook until the onions are tender.
- Meanwhile, if you are using fresh tomatoes, peel and roughly chop. If using canned, simply chop and discard excess juice (or save for other applications).
- When the onions are tender, increase the heat to high and brown the onions to a golden brown, stirring frequently.
- Add the tomatoes, bay leaves and cover, reducing the heat down to medium. Cook for another 10 minutes or so, stirring periodically to prevent anything from burning on the bottom of the pan.
- Add the potatoes, salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaves. Cover again and cook over medium heat until the potatoes feel tender when pricked with a fork. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Rendering Fat and Sweating Aromatics
Piercing the casings allows internal fat to escape into the pan, providing the necessary medium to sweat the thinly sliced onions over low heat without scorching. Slicing the garlic very thinly ensures it dissolves into the fat rather than burning, creating a savory base before any high-heat browning occurs.Building the Braising Liquid
Transitioning the heat from low to high caramelizes the onions into a golden-brown paste, which thickens the surrounding juices. Swapping fresh ripe tomatoes for canned San Marzano varieties changes the moisture balance; canned versions require draining excess liquid to prevent a watery sauce, whereas fresh tomatoes release their water gradually during the ten-minute simmer.Tenderizing the Starches
Quartering new potatoes ensures uniform surface area exposure for starch gelatinization during the covered medium-heat phase. Testing doneness requires piercing a piece with a fork until it slides through the center with zero resistance, confirming the interior is fully cooked through before serving.
