IMO, there is nothing like Sausage and Peppers. Living here in Philly, a fantastic sausage and peppers dinner is only a phone call away if you don’t feel like making it yourself. However, when you want to whip up something on a budget, this recipe couldn’t be simpler and it’s made easier with using Pillsbury Crescent Rolls for the crust.
I adore Pillsbury Crescent Rolls and have since I was a child. There’s something about popping open one of those canisters and, in 12 minutes, you have steamy crescent rolls just waiting to be enjoyed. Not to mention, the ways that you can use them besides the typical – like rolled up with a bit of chocolate for some chocolate crescents – or perhaps with a bit of savory or sweet filling. See – the possibilities are endless.
This Sausage and Peppers Pie was so easy and is sure to be a family favorite. I made it a bit lighter by using mild chicken Italian sausage and a few ingredients I always have on hand in the pantry. One thing to remember – the bottom might get a bit soggy due to the moisture in the peppers and the tomatoes that bubbles away while the oven is doing its magic. However the top crust comes out gloriously crisp and rises like there is no tomorrow. The added bit of the Parmesan only adds to the flavor.
On to the recipe:
Gather your ingredients
The two classics – Sausage & Peppers
Adding a bit of Italian Seasoning
Time to saute
And then assemble – see – easy peasy
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage links (about 4 – 5)
- 2 red peppers, slice into thin strips
- 1 medium onion, sliced thin
- 1 to 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 1 – 1 1/2 cups of tomato sauce (or your favorite marinara)
- 2 cans of Pillbury crescent rolls
- 1/3 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk.
- Salt and pepper
- Baking spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375° F.
- In a large sauté pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and, over medium heat, brown the sausage links – about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the browned sausage to plate and set aside.
- In the same pan, if needed, add a bit more olive oil and tumble in the peppers and onions. Sauté for about 5 minutes or so until the onions are translucent and the peppers are a bit soft.
- After about five minutes or so, add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute.
- To the onion and peppers, add the Italian seasoning and cook for a minute.
- Add the tomato paste and tomato sauce to the peppers and onions, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
- Cut the browned sausage into small bite size pieces (about 1-inch so) and add to the pepper mixture.
- Let simmer for about 10 minutes or so, until bubbly and the sauce is reduced a bit. Season with a bit of salt and pepper – you will want to check because sometimes the tomato sauce or the sausage could have a bit more salt and you don't want a dish that's overly salty, right?
- Spray a 9-inch pie plate with a bit of baking spray.
- Unroll the crescent roll dough, separating the triangles.
- Line the pie plate with the triangles with the thinner point towards the center. Going clockwise, line the pie plate and press the seams together to form one uniform crust.
- Add the sausage and pepper mixture to the crust.
- Top the sausage mixture with the mozzarella cheese.
- Unroll the remaining tube of crescent roll dough. Following the same procedure as the bottom crust, line the top of the mixture with the dough triangles, smaller end towards the center. Go clockwise until the entire mixture is covered, taking care to press the seams of the edges together.
- Brush the crust with a bit of the milk and sprinkle the top with grated Parmesan.
- Cut a couple holes in the top of the crust to "vent" and it's off to the oven.
- Bake up for about 22 to 25 minutes until crust is golden brown and bubbly.
- Enjoy.
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