This is the recipe that I use as a base for my sausage and peppers, which about 10 years ago I started with Rachel Ray’s version and although I always make it a little different it’s a very solid base I just changed some ratios and the method slightly. I remove the casing because I find it to be an unpleasant texture. Sometimes I switch up the sausage or types of peppers depending on what I have on hand. In place of the stock you could use the juices from the cherry peppers, olive juice, chicken stock, wine, vinegar… see which one you like best, I tend to use the juice from Castelvetrano olives because it is just so good, I always have it on hand and it adds a little something different. This is also really great with a little extra stock to make it saucy and use as a polenta topping.

Yield: 3-4 portions for wedges or topping for 2 pizzas

Ingredients:
-1lb. Hot/Sweet Italian Sausage
-1T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-1 Large Sweet Onion, sliced thin
-1 Red Bell Pepper, sliced thin
-1 Green Bell Pepper (or 1-2 Cubanelle or 10 shishito), sliced thin
-4 cloves of Garlic, pressed
-4 hot cherry peppers, chopped
-Splash of stock, olive juice, pickled pepper juice or vinegar.

Equipment:
Sautoir
Sauté pan
Wooden Spoon
Spatula

1. Fork some holes in your sausage and place them in the sautoir and cover with cold water (or beer!) bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium high heat, add the onion and peppers and cook about 5 minutes (you want them soft, but not completely). Add garlic and cherry peppers and cook one more minute, then hold off heat.
3. When the sausages are done, drain the liquid and remove the casings (if desired) by peeling the edges with a knife then use your fingers to pull all away, being careful not to burn yourself on any hot oil that may be in the sausage. Slice the sausages on a bias, about 1/2 inch thick of for wedges. If for a pizza topping, slice the sausage in half lengthwise, then slice about 1/4-1/2 in thick. 
4. Place the cut sausage back in the sautoir and cook on medium high heat to get color on the sausage and fond on the pan, about 5-7 minutes. Add the veggies into the pan with the sausage along with a splash of stock or jar vinegar and scrape up all the beautiful fond you built while you mix everything all together. Season to taste.

When I am making these sausage and peppers for wedges I will cut the peppers a little thicker along with the sausage. I make this a lot for family gatherings and when I need to feed a crowd I will make 2 separate batches and make one of them with chicken. If you want to try that, use equal weight of chicken (breast, thigh whatever you like best) and sausage. Cut the chicken on a bias about 1/2 inch thick and cook in the sautoir after you simmer/drain the sausage and before you add the sliced sausage back in. This gives you a few minutes to allow the sausage to cool before cutting in case you have sensitive finger tips! Season the chicken with plenty of salt and pepper and sear the chicken in a swirl of olive oil until almost cooked through, remove from pan, get back to step #4 and then add the chicken back in (with its juices) right before you add the veggies to the pan. Total crowd pleaser.