Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Salsiccia e patate al forno (sausage and potato baked in oven)

Honestly, there is nothing extravagant about this dish.  This is as about as simple as home cooking gets.  That's not to say it's not immensely tasty.  I always enjoy retrieving a baking dish from the oven that I earlier filled with love.  In this case the love came from sausages and potatoes. I don't think there is an Italian household that at some stage has not cooked this dish. The key is to either make your own sausages or get to know a reliable butcher. This recipe requires good quality Italian pork sausages.  The potatoes soak up all of the juices from the sausages as they are cooked beneath. The fennel adds a complimentary touch!  Use some crusty bread to make sure all of the meaty pan juices don't go to waste!
What you need (to feed 6-8 people):
ten good quality Italian pork sausages
15 medium size chat potatoes 
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
two teaspoons fennel seeds
two rosemary sprigs
two smashed garlic cloves 
half a bottle of white house wine
salt and cracked black pepper
How to make:
1: Cut the potatoes in half and place evenly in a oven proof baking dish (with lid). 
2: Cover with olive oil and use hands to throughly coat potatoes.  Tear sprigs of rosemary and roughly smash garlic, add to pot and mix through.  Finish with salt and pepper, again mix through.
3: Starting in the middle of the pot, add the sausages in a circular motion. Add a few sprigs of rosemary and a little garlic.
4: Prick sausages with a fork, so they do not burst in the oven.
5: Place lid on and place in a pre-heated 180 degrees oven for approximately 45 minutes.  Remove the lid for the last 5 minutes to slightly brown sausages.
dish before placed in the oven

cooking away in the oven


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