Rustic Sausage and Potato Bake
Oh wow, this was a fantastic meal- I was inspired by my favorite british chef, Jamie Oliver . I watch his food network show every chance I get- I dvr it! I love his rustic style of cooking. It is very clear how much he loves food and is passionate about what he does. Watching him cook is extremely pleasurable especially since he is quite good looking as well! One of the shows I recently viewed was about tomatoes where he did a sausage and tomato bake. He also has recipe for a chicken thigh and potato bake. I liked both the recipes and decided to combine the two. I bought a bratwurst from Trader Joes and decided to use it in this one pot meal. As long as one is familiar with the technique, any combination of ingredients can be used. Any hearty herbs like rosemary and protein like chicken thighs can be used. Vegetables can also be used like peppers or zucchini. I had bought beautiful plum tomatoes and yukon gold potatoes. The combination of these very simple but fresh and fabulous looking ingredients is just magic!! The fresh whole garlic and the herbs give the dish great aroma and flavor. The pièce de résistance was the drizzle of balsamic vinegar! It brought all the ingredients together in a fabulous way- it was truly delicious! I bought a bake at home baguette which was perfect to soak up the delicious tomato goodness! I made a fresh salad and served a fabulous German Pinot Noir a friend recommended- it was- a Rheingau 2006 Pinot Noir. I never had a German Pinot Noir before- it was unbelievably delicious!!
- 1 pound fresh pork sausage, sliced into 2 inch circles
- ¼ cup pancetta, chopped
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus 1 teaspoon
- 1 bunch fresh thyme- about a tablespoon
- 1 bunch fresh oregano- about a tablespoon
- 5 plum tomatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces or 2 pints grape tomatoes cut in half
- 5 yukon gold potatoes, cooked half way and peeled
- 4 garlic cloves, not peeled
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven at 400 degree.
In a small frying pan, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add the pancetta and sauté on medium high heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the fresh herbs and sauté for another 5 minutes till the oil becomes aromatic. Pour the pancetta mixture in a 9 X 13 lined baking pan. In the meantime, cook the potatoes about half way and peel them. Place them on a flat surface and give them squeeze with your palm- you are trying to flatten them slightly. Add the potatoes to the baking dish. Add the tomatoes, garlic, sausage, salt and pepper. Mix well and drizzle the 3 tablespoons olive oil. Bake for about 30 minutes or till the potatoes are golden brown and the sausage is well cooked. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar and bake for another 10 minutes. Check for seasonings. Serve with a crusty baguette and a crisp salad.
