Carol's Sausage Cacciatore

My wife concocted this marvelous dish for a big get-together at her brother’s house. She made a huge amount, and we set aside some for ourselves before filling our large crock pot for the party. Good thing we did too because the crock-pot was seriously empty by the time we got home!  This makes a lot...an awful lot!  So make sure you have plenty of hungry folks around.  But if you wish to make smaller amounts, the recipe scales down very nicely.

salt and pepper to taste

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large pot. Brown the sausage, drain and set aside. Heat the remaining oil, add the garlic and sauté just long enough for it to become aromatic.  About 1 minute.

Add the veggies and stir to coat with oil.  Sauté for 8-10 minutes.  Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and spaghetti sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the sausage and wine.  There should be enough liquid to just cover the ingredients.  If not add some water or stock.  Simmer gently until veggies are tender, about 1½ hours.

Add the cheese, a couple more splashes of wine and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir well to combine.