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Giada's classic sausage and peppers, pizza and more

The Italian chef serves up sausage three ways

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Video: Giada makes scrumptious sausage, peppers, onions

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    >> it. giada joins us here this morning. giada , how are you? were you a hot dog fan --

    >> the things i let you guys do to me.

    >> i understand you used to eat hot dogs as a kid but your mom made them in a way --

    >> this is the deal, in italy you don't eat hot dogs . i grew up here and fell in love with hot dogs . i begged my mom to make something.

    >> she cut them up with tomatoes and olive oil .

    >> so i loved going to pink's when i was younger.

    >> let's fast forward. you're going to make -- now we're looking at traditional sausages. we have some varieties here. sweet, spicy and turkey, correct?

    >> i always tend to go for the turkey. but sometimes spicy sausage. depends you what like. this is our version, italian version of hot dogs .

    >> first, sausage, peppers, onions, traditional recipe. do you do anything different?

    >> i cook them seven to ten minutes, all the way through, nice and golden.

    >> which ones are these, turkey sausage.

    >> yes, turkey, sweet italian. italian is the key because it has italian flavors in it, which means it has fennel, red pepper flakes, garlic and italian herbs. cook these down for a few minutes.

    >> you don't chop up these peppers fine.

    >> look how they fall apart.

    >> melt down a little bit.

    >> they sweat. they tart to caramelize and all the flavors come out. then what i do is add a little bit of marsala wine , give it a little sweetness. let it cook down. garlic, red pepper flakes and oregano. this is really great for father's day. a really fun dish. tomato paste , if i can get it out. you do this.

    >> got it.

    >> these are crushed tomatoes.

    >> you let that all cook down together until it looks like this.

    >> something like that. you serve it how?

    >> i cut up these sausages, dump them in there. at this point you can even make this the morning of and then reheat it.

    >> the morning of? this is a breakfast then.

    >> no, i'm saying you can --

    >> go ahead.

    >> i'm going to make you do this demo by yourself. you take the bread just like this, serve it as a sandwich. i like to take the bread out because it makes it easier to put the stuff in there. it settles in there. that's it. just like that.

    >> talk to me about the pasta dish.

    >> a different spin, other things you can do. i put this in the pan. make it and eat sort of room temperature , not cold but room temperature or hot. i also make a pizza with sausage, pork. you can do turkey, too. spicy turkey, pork. gorgonzola and carmelized onions.

    >> take you back to pink's, which is better giada dog or "today" show dog ? the "today" show dog you described earlier in a very unflattering way.

    >> i did not.

    >> you did. you said it was like someone had -- you didn't like the "today" show dog , let's say that.

    >> i think they told me you picked the ingredients.

    >> too much goop on it. i like simple dogs.

    >> no, i don't think so. that's not what i heard.

    >> try your pasta. giada thank you very much. nice to see you.

    >> nice to see you, too.

    >> just ahead everything you need

    Show transcript

TODAY recipes
updated 6/12/2012 5:50:34 PM ET 2012-06-12T21:50:34

Recipe: Sausage, peppers and onions

Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausage
  • 2 red bell peppers, sliced
  • 2 yellow onions, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup Marsala wine
  • 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
  • 4 to 6 fresh Italian sandwich rolls, optional
Preparation

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on both sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain. Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the oregano, basil, and garlic and cook 2 more minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the Marsala wine, tomatoes, and chili flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the browned bits. Bring to a simmer.

Cut the sausages into 4 to 6 pieces each, about 1-inch cubes. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.

Serve in bowls. Or, if serving as a sandwich, split the rolls in half lengthwise. Hollow out the bread from the bottom side of each roll, being careful not to puncture the crust. Fill the bottom half of the roll with sausage mixture. Top and serve sandwiches immediately.

Serving Size

Makes 4 to 6 servings

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Recipe: Orecchiette with spicy turkey sausage and broccoli rabe

Ingredients
  • 2 bunches broccoli rabe, stems trimmed
  • 1 pound orecchiette pasta
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound turkey Italian-style sausage, casings removed
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • Pinch dried crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Preparation

Cook the broccoli rabe in a large pot of boiling salted water, about 1 minute. Transfer the broccoli rabe to a large bowl of ice water to cool, saving the cooking water. Bring the reserved cooking water back to a boil.

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into pieces with a spoon, until browned and juices form, about 12 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, when the reserved cooking water is boiling, add the orecchiette and cook until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes.

Strain the broccoli rabe and add it to the pan with the sausage mixture and toss to coat with the juices. Add the pasta to the skillet. Stir in the Parmesan and serve immediately.

Serving Size

Makes 4 servings

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Recipe: Caramelized onion, sausage and basil pizza

Ingredients
  • For onions
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium sweet onions (about 1 1/2 pounds), such as Maui or Walla Walla, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • For dough
  • Flour for dusting
  • 1 (1-pound) ball store-bought pizza dough
  • Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
  • For assembly
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound spicy turkey or pork sausage, casings removed, crumbled
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled gorgonzola or blue cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Preparation

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven and another rack in the upper 1/3 of the oven.

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Spray a heavy baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray. Sprinkle another heavy baking sheet (without sides) with cornmeal. Set aside.

For the onions: In a large bowl, toss the oil, onions, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper together until coated. Arrange in a single layer on the oiled baking sheet. Bake in the upper 1/3 of the oven for 25 minutes until golden. Cool slightly.

For the dough: On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 13-inch diameter circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Transfer the dough to the baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the dough with olive oil. Bake at the same time as the onions, in the center of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the crust is crisp and lightly browned.

While the onions cook, in a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and season with salt and pepper. Cook, using a wooden spoon to break up the sausage, until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

Spread the onions evenly over the dough leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle the cooked sausage and cheese on top. Bake for 5 minutes until the cheese starts to melt and turns golden. Sprinkle with chopped basil. Cut the pizza into wedges and serve.

Serving Size

Makes 4 to 6 servings

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© 2013 NBCNews

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