Baked Italian Sausages

 

 

Baked Italian Sausages

Ingredients

6–8 Italian sausages

1 small fennel bulb, cut into 6 wedges

6–8 small vine-ripened tomatoes, halved (or 3–4 large tomatoes, cut into wedges)

½ cup black olives, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon (about 4 teaspoons) capers, roughly chopped

1 medium brown onion, peeled and quartered

Leaves and tender stems from 10 sprigs fresh thyme

2 garlic cloves, minced or crushed

½ cup red wine

¾ cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons (about 8 teaspoons) tomato paste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).

Arrange the ingredients

Place the sausages, fennel wedges, halved tomatoes, chopped olives, capers, onion quarters, and thyme leaves into a lidded baking dish. The ingredients should fit snugly inside.

Tip: If your baking dish doesn’t have a lid, cover it tightly with two layers of aluminum foil, folding the edges down to trap the steam.

Season

Sprinkle the sausages and vegetables with a light pinch of salt and pepper.

Prepare the sauce

In a jug or mixing bowl, combine the garlic, red wine, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Stir until well blended.

Combine and coat

Pour the sauce mixture over the sausages and vegetables. Toss everything together with clean hands or two large spoons to ensure all ingredients are evenly coated.

Bake – covered

Cover the dish with its lid (or foil) and place it on the middle oven rack. Bake for 30 minutes.

Bake – uncovered

Remove the lid or foil and continue baking for another 30–40 minutes. Baste the sausages and vegetables with the pan sauce a few times during this stage to keep them moist and prevent wrinkling.

Serve

Enjoy hot with your favorite pasta or a loaf of crusty bread to soak up the rich sauce.