Ingredients
1 lb. bulk Italian sausage
1 1/2 cups diced yellow bell pepper
1 cup diced onion
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 cup dry red wine
1 can diced tomatoes (28 oz.)
2 tsp. anchovy paste (or 2 oil-packed fillets, minced)
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 lb. dry ziti or mostaccioli pasta
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Kosher salt & black pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation
Brown the sausage in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Crush meat into small pieces using a potato masher. Add the bell pepper and onion; cook 5 minutes.
(1. Brown the sausage over medium-high heat, crushing it with a potato masher to make the pieces finer.)
Stir in tomato paste and garlic. Sauté until the paste darkens, 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently so it doesn’t scorch.
Deglaze pan with wine, scraping the bits from the bottom; reduce wine until nearly evaporated. Add tomatoes, anchovy paste, sugar, and pepper flakes. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook 15 minutes. (2. Add the wine and tomatoes and simmer the sauce. Stir in parsley, salt, and pepper just before serving.)
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the ziti. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.
Finish ragu with parsley; season with salt and pepper. Serve ragu over ziti, garnished with parsley and Parmesan.
