What do they call this kind of sandwich in a roll in your neck of the woods? In the Northeast, where Ricky and I grew up, this kind of sandwich would be called a sub. Some eateries might even call it a submarine sandwich, the root word for sub, referring to the shape of the bread; similar to the aquatic vessel. There was a time when, if we went out of our area and asked for a submarine sandwich, the order taker may have trouble not laughing while asking what a submarine sandwich was. Now, with the help of some national food chains, there is a good chance the rest of the country knows what we are talking about. But other places in the country still call sandwiches like this hoagies, grinders and I am sure other names I am not aware of. No mater what you call them, this sandwich needs a bread that will hold up to moisture without turning into a soggy mess. If you have a good solid bread, the sausage juices, vegetable juices and olive oil will stand up to the weight and moisture content and still have some crunch in the crust. The bread you are using for any sandwich is an important ingredient. It’s not just a delivery system for the filling. It should be a delicious addition to flavor and texture. Ricky has found that his “just right” bread for this dinner recipe is French bread. And I agree. It has a crunchy crust and a soft middle. It’s just the right size. The sausage, pepper and onion are not lost in the bread, but there is enough bread to make the perfect mouthful. When I initially put a title to this recipe, I referred to the bread as a French baguette. That is an accurate reference. But I just couldn’t get over the formality of it. It’s too fancy a name for this simple sandwich. But for anyone out there that is not familiar with different types of breads, this loaf of bread could be referred to either way. Whether the label on the bread says French baguette or French bread, it’s all the same in the world of Ricky’s recipes. I dare not conclude that the terms are synonymous throughout the world. Much of the world considers freshly baked bread the heart of any meal. I imagine those cultures, which consider one day old bread only good for breadcrumbs and pudding, are amused if not disgusted by the idea that our preservative ridden, squishy, mass produced, cooked dough in a plastic bag, is thought of as bread.
When I think of sausage, pepper and onion on a roll, I think of a fair. There is usually at least one vendor at a fair that sells them, attesting to their popularity. Until recently, I hadn’t thought of making them at home. I guess I just haven’t thought of these as a dinner. Why? 🤔 Ricky has these for dinner relatively often. For some time now, he has suggested this dinner recipe be posted. I have stalled, explaining that I wanted to get some more “real” recipes posted first. But, I have yielded. In looking at the big picture, our goal is not to offer our readers recipes, as much as it is to offer suggestions and instructions to make easy, reasonably priced, delicious dinners, made from everyday ingredients. And this dinner fits right into that category. When we made these sandwiches in our cooking session for this post, I devoured one right away and relished every bite. My grandson Matt after returning home, was really happy that this was our recipe of the day and swooped one up and ate it on the spot. These are so good. I’m going to be making them for dinner more often for sure.
Here’s what YOU WILL NEED:
6 – 8 links of Italian sausage (your preference of sweet or hot) |
| 1 yellow onion |
| 1 red pepper |
| 1 loaf of fresh French bread |
| olive oil |
The size, color and variety of either the onion or pepper is entirely up to you. A red pepper and yellow onion make a great pairing for this, but your family’s preferences are what will make these a hit at your dinner table.
This is WHAT TO DO:
Slice the pepper and onion into thin strips. The thinner strips are easier to distribute evenly over the sausages when you dressing it up to eat, and you get some of everything in every bite. If you are going to cook the sausages in the oven, lay them in an oven safe baking dish.
You can grill the sausages, or cook them in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. You need to cook sausages so they are no longer pink in the middle, but you can also dry them out if they are cooked too long. If you cook all the moisture out, the flavor and juicy tenderness that makes sausages so yummy, goes with it. After cooking for a while you will be able to judge how well done meat is by how firm it is. The softer the meat, the more rare it is. As it cooks it gets more firm. Whether you are baking or grilling them, don’t cut into the sausage as soon as you take it from the heat. Let them sit for a few minutes and let the juices settle in. You should do that with any cooked meat.
Cover the bottom of a 10 or 12 inch skillet with a generous amount of olive oil and sauté the onion and pepper on medium high heat, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and the pepper is tender. It won’t take long. If you are substituting olive oil with another oil, it should have a flavor you like. The oil is an important ingredient. It adds moisture to the sandwich. We love olive oil!
Don’t cut the bread until you are ready to eat. The fresher the bread is, the better. We cut the loaf down the middle, but not all the way through to the bottom of the loaf. This way, you can fold the bread open, nestle the sausages and vegetables in the bread, and bite into it without dripping and losing the good stuff out the bottom. Then we cut pieces off in lengths that will suit each person’s appetite.
Italian Sausage, Pepper and Onion on French Bread
Ingredients
- 6 italian sausages
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow onion
- olive oil
- 1 loaf french bread also referred to as a baguette
Instructions
Prepare Ingredients
- Cut the onion and red pepper into thin slices.
- When the sausages, pepper and onion are done, cut the loaf of french bread lengthwise down the middle. Do not cut all the way to the bottom of the loaf. Then cut the loaf into 6 pieces or cut according to appetites.
Cooking Instructions
- Put the sausages in the oven to cook. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Or the sausages can be grilled.
- Put a generous amount of olive oil in a 10 or 12 inch skillet ( about 1/4 cup). Add sliced onion and red pepper to the oil and sauté on medium heat until the onion is translucent and the pepper is tender.