Spicy pepperoni is added to a delicious medley of sauteed Italian sausage, onions, garlic, mushrooms, green bell peppers, tomatoes and fresh basil. Stir cooked rigatoni into the sauce and give it a long, slow simmer until all the flavors meld.
INGREDIENTS (for 8 servings):
- 1 (16 ounce) package rigatoni pasta
- 2 pounds Italian sausage
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes, undrained
- 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
- 3 1/2 ounces sliced pepperoni sausage
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 pound diced pepperoni
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
PREPARATION:
Cook rigatoni pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well. Set aside.
In a large skillet, fry sausage until cooked through but not brown. Add chopped onions and minced garlic. Stir and cook until soft. Add sliced mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes. Add chopped green pepper and cook slowly until soft. Drain off any excess fat.
Stir in tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, fresh basil and pepperoni. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add cooked rigatoni noodles. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has been cooked off.