Oven Baked Risotto with Sausage and Bell Peppers

Usually I skip any recipe that requires constant attention because I like to multitask in the kitchen. Because of this, I almost always glaze over recipes for risotto due to the endless stirring that is necessary. However, last Christmas I received a new cookbook, Homemade, from my husband. In my first flip through the book, I came across this recipe, and it changed the way I think about risotto, and has become a regular addition to my meal plan. I made a few modifications to the original recipe using ingredients that are easy to find and keep in stock. The recipe is also great for us because it only makes about 2-3 dinner-sized servings.

Risotto doesn't have to be difficult.

1T extra virgin olive oil
8oz ground sausage (Paoli Local Foods has my favorite)
1 red bell pepper, cubed
1 green bell pepper, cubed
1 small onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped
Sriracha hot sauce to taste
2/3c Arborio rice
2/3c white wine (a mini bottle of cooking wine is the perfect amount)
2/3c canned tomato sauce or puree
1c chicken stock


1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Crumble the sausage in the pan and turn once. Add the peppers, onion and garlic.
3. Sprinkle 2/3 of the rosemary in the pan and dribble with as much hot sauce as you can handle. Be careful--I've made this too spicy a few times, and you can always add more later if needed.
4. Pan fry the mixture, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes (okay, I said this was stir-free risotto, it's just occasional stirring).
5. Fold in the rice and fry for one minute. Add the wine and stir in the tomato sauce and stock.
7. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring (only should take about 30-60 seconds).
8. Cover the pan with a lid and transfer to the oven. Bake 18-20 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed, and the rice is cooked through. There will still be a little bit of sauce left in the pan. That's okay.
10. Cool slightly and sprinkle with remaining rosemary.