Recipes:
Baked Italian Appetizer Bread
5 links Dibrova Smoked Hot Italian Sausages, casings removed and finely chopped
1 Tbsp. oil
½ cup softened cream cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 green onions, finely chopped
½ tsp. Italian seasoning
1 loaf frozen white bread dough, thawed
1 jar (7 ounces) roasted red bell peppers, well drained and coarsely chopped
1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
2 cups Swiss or Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. poppy seeds
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a medium size skillet and lightly brown sausages over medium high heat. Drain and set aside.
Mix together the cream cheese, garlic, green onion and Italian seasoning. Set aside.
Sprinkle work surface lightly with flour. Roll bread dough into approximately an 18 X 12 inch rectangle. Spread cream cheese mixture lengthwise onto the middle third of the dough. Sprinkle sausage over cream cheese mixture, then the peppers, olives and cheese. Bring the two ends of the dough over the filling to the center and pinch to seal the seam, including sides.
Transfer carefully to a large lightly oiled baking sheet. With a sharp knife, make small diagonal slits along the center of the dough, about 2 inches apart. Brush surface of dough with beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds.
Bake for 20-25 minutes in center of oven. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
Italian Sausage & Spinach Skillet Pasta
1 box (14.5 ounces) rigatoni or penne pasta
5 links Dibrova Smoked Hot Italian Sausages, sliced diagonally into thin slices then
sliced again lengthwise twice into long strips
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloved garlic, minced
½ of a 9 ounce bag of fresh spinach
½ cup half and half
¼ cup parmesan cheese, divided
Cook pasta in large pot of salted water. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat and cook sliced sausages for about 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add spinach and cook for 1 more minute, until wilted.
Add sausages and spinach to the pot of cooked pasta along with the half and half about ½ of the parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Warm gently on low heat for about 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until half and half thickens slightly. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and serve immediately.