Mediterranean Penne with Sausage

Ingredients

·         2 red bell peppers, chopped

·         1 small bulb fennel, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced

·         1 large onion, chopped

·         1 small eggplant, peeled and cut into small chunks

·         1 clove garlic, minced

·         3/4lb Italian-style turkey sausage, casings removed

·         1 jar (25.5 oz)pasta sauce (any flavor)

·         2 cups water

·         2 teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed

·         ½ teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes 

      8oz penne pasta

 Directions

1. Coat large skillet with cooking spray. Add bell peppers, fennel bulb (made without bulb and added more seeds which worked fine), onion, eggplant, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, over medium heat 5 minutes, or until fennel starts to soften. Add sausage. Cook, breaking up sausage with back of spoon, 3 minutes, or until no longer pink.

2. Add pasta sauce, water, fennel seeds, and red-pepper flakes. Stir to mix. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook 20 to 25 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Place pasta in serving bowl. Top with sauce. Add up to 1/2 cup of reserved cooking water, if needed, for sauce to coat pasta.

Serves approx 6