Non-VegetarianCalabrese cuisine Main Course

Salsiccia e Peperoni alla Calabrese

Name: Salsiccia e Peperoni alla Calabrese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Calabrese
Ingredients: 600 g salsiccia fresca calabrese; 800 g sweet bell peppers; 150 g Red onion; 1 piece fresh calabrian chilli; 45 ml Extra virgin olive oil; 60 ml Dry white wine; 4 g Fine sea salt

Salsiccia e peperoni alla Calabrese is a rustic skillet dish of browned coarse pork sausages braised with sweet peppers, onions, and spicy Calabrian chilli.

🇮🇹Italy· Calabria

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 40 min
Total: 55 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 580 kcal

Ingredients

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Servings

600 g salsiccia fresca calabrese — Calabrian fresh pork sausage with chilli and fennel seeds, cut into 6-8 cm pieces
800 g sweet bell peppers — mixed red and yellow, deseeded and sliced into thick strips
150 g Red onion — preferably Tropea red onion, sliced thickly
1 piece fresh calabrian chilli — finely sliced, adjust to taste
45 ml Extra virgin olive oil — Calabrian or southern Italian
60 ml Dry white wine — optional for deglazing
4 g Fine sea salt — to taste

Equipment

•Heavy-based frying pan or saute pan
•Chef's knife
•Chopping board
•Wooden spoon

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 580 kcal
fat: 46 g
carbs: 14 g
fibre: 4 g
protein: 26 g
calories: 580 kcal

Instructions

1
Heat half the olive oil in a wide heavy-based frying pan over medium heat.
2
Add the sausage pieces and brown them evenly on all sides until golden, about 8 minutes.
3
Pour in the white wine and let it bubble until the liquid has mostly evaporated.
4
Transfer the browned sausages to a warm plate and set aside.
5
Add the remaining olive oil to the same pan over medium-low heat.
6
Add the sliced onion, sweet peppers, and chilli, stirring to coat in the pan juices.
7
Season the vegetables with salt and cook uncovered for 15 minutes until they begin to soften.
8
Return the browned sausages and any resting juices to the pan with the peppers.
9
Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
10
Remove the lid and cook for another 5 minutes until the peppers are meltingly tender and the sauce is glossy.
11
Remove from the heat and allow the dish to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Chef's tips

Prick the sausages lightly with a fork before frying to release excess fat without drying them out. If using mild Italian sausages instead of Calabrian ones, increase the fresh or dried chilli to replicate the signature southern heat. Keep the peppers in thick ribbons so they hold their shape during the slow braise.

Ingredient substitutions

salsiccia fresca calabrese → coarse Italian pork sausage with a pinch of fennel seeds and chilli flakes added to the pan
fresh Calabrian chilli → 1/2 tsp dried crushed Calabrian chilli flakes

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a covered skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water until piping hot.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Slicing the peppers too thinly, which makes them disintegrate into mush rather than braising tenderly.
•Cooking over too high heat throughout, causing the sugars in the peppers and onions to burn instead of caramelise.
•Discarding the pan drippings from the sausage before cooking the vegetables, which loses vital savoury flavour.

Serving suggestions

Serve hot with thick slices of rustic crusty durum wheat bread for scooping up the juices.Accompany with a simple green salad dressed with extra virgin olive oil and red wine vinegar.