Pasta with Roasted Peppers and Sausage

Don't let the simple name fool you; this healthy dish is full of complex flavors and textures, and is a real family pleaser. The best part is, it uses only a handful of ingredients and can be on the table in no time.

Pasta with Roasted Peppers and Sausage
Serves 4

2 - 3 bell peppers (red, yellow or orange)
8 - 10 oz. pasta of your choice
1 T. olive oil
3/4 lb. chicken or turkey Italian sausage, casings removed
1 T. butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock (you may want more)
parmesan cheese
fresh basil, chopped

Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Slice the 4 sides off each pepper and lay them, skin side up, on the baking sheet. Broil about 4" from the heat for 15 min., or until charred. Use tongs to move the peppers from the baking sheet to a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the peppers steam (5 - 15 minutes). Then, rub off the skins and discard. Slice the peppers into 1/4 inch strips and place back in bowl with any juices that have accumulated.

Meanwhile, start a large pot of water and cook the pasta al dente.

While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet and crumble the sausage into the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until browned and just cooked through. Remove the sausage from the pan and place in the bowl with the sliced peppers.

Melt the butter in the same skillet, and saute the garlic for about a minute. Add the chicken stock, peppers and sausages and stir to combine. Place the cooked, drained pasta in the skillet and stir everything together. If it seems too dry, add more chicken stock or some of the pasta cooking water (or some butter if you're feeling skinny).

Place servings in bowls and top with a bit of grated parmesan cheese and some fresh basil. Enjoy!