Sometimes I want something that is deep in flavor, and dirties the least amount of dishes. Maybe I get that from my mom, who made this dish for our family on weeknights. Sweet Italian sausage, with its rich textures and alluring fennel notes pairs perfectly with roasted onions and potatoes—some soft, some crispy.
The method is simple. Mix everything together in a wide, shallow glass baking dish (or in my case, the metal sheet pan that fits in my oven) with some olive oil and a healthy amount of salt and cracked pepper, and roast at 400º, tossing once halfway for even browning.
The result is a home filled with warm and inviting aromas that take me back to my childhood. Sitting at the kitchen table, fumbling through math homework, or recalling a just-past recent baseball game with the earthy scents of leather and dust lingering faintly in my nose. When finished cooking, my mom would set the baking dish on the stove and invite everyone to dish up. I would go straight for the burnt bits of onion and browned potato at the edges of the dish, and I think everyone in my family did too. Thankfully, there was always plenty to go around. Back then I would add a good heap of spicy mustard to my plate for the sausage, invariably dragging my last bits of potato through the remnants.
Some things never change, and that is a good thing.
Ingredients
- 4-8 links Italian sausage (sweet, hot, or both)
- 2-4 russet potatoes, washed, unpeeled
- 1 large yellow onion
- Olive oil, enough to lightly coat all ingredients
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Method
- Preheat oven to 400º with oven rack on middle setting
- Cut the potatoes and onions into wedges. I like to do it this way: halve lengthwise and arrange flat-side down on the cutting board. With the knife running the length of the veg, make a diagonal cut toward the center of where it meets the cutting board. I like 3-4 wedges for each potato half, and 4-6 wedges for each onion half.
- Take a look at the sausages. Pat them dry with paper towel if they need it, and add to the baking dish/sheet pan with the potatoes and onions. Add enough olive oil to coat everything lightly, and season with a generous amount of salt and fresh black pepper.
- Roast in the oven for around 30-45 mins, giving a good toss halfway through so everything browns evenly. If the potatoes are sticking, just let them go for longer until they release.
- Serve with some good Italian or French bread and the mustard of your liking. If you’re feeling wild, or if you have some leftover in the fridge, add a dollop of sour cream to your plate too.
Enjoy!
Tommy (Recipe Courtesy of Janine Gibney)