Orecchiette With Broiled Feta, Peppers And Sausage

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 3 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced mint leaf
• 2 1/2 tablespoons chopped oregano
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large red bell peppers
• 3/4 lb feta, sliced 3/4 inch thick
• 2 lbs sweet and hot sausage
• 2 lbs dried orecchiette

Recipe

• 1 in a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with 7 tablespoons of the olive oil, the mint and 2 tablespoons of the oregano; season with salt and pepper. let stand at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
• 2 preheat the broiler. roast the peppers under the broiler, turning, until charred. transfer to a plastic bag and let steam for 15 minutes.
• 3 peel the peppers, discarding the cores, ribs and seeds; cut the peppers into 1/4 -inch strips.
• 4 brush the feta with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, sprinkle with pepper and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of oregano and broil until golden on both sides.
• 5 broil the sausages, turning, until cooked through. transfer to a cutting board and cover with foil.
• 6 cook the pasta in a stockpot of boiling salted water until al dente.
• 7 drain well, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water. add the pasta to the tomatoes; add the pepper strips. slice the sausage, crumble the feta and toss both with the pasta; add some of the cooking water if the pasta seems dry.
• 8 season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.