Ingredients

The following ingredients have 6 Servings
  • 3 pounds about 10-12 pieces good quality Italian Sausages, (left whole or sliced into bite-sized pieces if preferred)
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, (peeled and chopped)
  • 4 cloves garlic, (peeled and sliced)
  • 10 oz mushrooms (sliced)
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine, (use gluten-free or wheat-free wine if on that diet)
  • 8 oz cooking spinach (fresh or frozen (if frozen, defrost and drain well))
  • 2 cups unsalted crushed tomatoes, (fresh or canned)
  • 3 fresh sprigs of rosemary, ((or 1-2 teaspoons dried or to taste))
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • handful of fresh basil, ((optional but encouraged!)
  • salt and pepper (to taste), and a little (about 1 tsp) brown sugar,

Instruction

  • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Heat the olive oil in an oven-safe casserole (like a cast iron or Dutch oven) and brown the sausages (whole or sliced). Transfer the sausages to a plate.
  • In the same pan, saute the onions and garlic for a couple of minutes. Pour in the red wine and deglaze the pan, scraping the brown bits on the bottom of the casserole dish. Add the fresh or frozen spinach and cook until wilted. Turn off the heat.
  • Add the mushrooms, crushed tomatoes, rosemary and bay leaves. Season with a little salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the sausages back to the casserole dish. Give a quick stir. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes.
  • If using fresh basil, simply stir them into the casserole. To enhance the flavor some more stir in a teaspoon or 2 of sugar. The last step is optional, especially if doing a low-carb diet. Enjoy over pasta or rice!