State Fair Sausage & Pepper Sandwich

Name: State Fair Sausage & Pepper Sandwich
Yield: feeds 6
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup olive oil; 1 1/2 large onions, sliced into thick strips; 1 large red bell pepper, sliced into thick strips; 1 large green pepper, sliced into thick strips; Kosher salt and black pepper; 2 pounds Italian sausage, hot or sweet; 6 crusty submarine rolls

January 24, 2012

“How ‘bout a nice sausage sandwich?” From 1983 to 1988 my partner, Mike, and I belted that line out thousands of times at fairs and festivals up and down the East Coast. Those were the days of Dinosaur Concessions, when we made our living slingin’ sausage and charbroilin’ steak for sandwiches. We pretty much retired from the fair business in 1988 when we opened the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. But ten years later we were back at it again. In 1998 we joined forces with Steve Davis from Gianelli Sausage, whose family stand has been a mainstay at the New York State Fair for as long as I can remember. Gianelli (see Resources, page 175) makes a great sausage—lean, yet packed with flavor— just great for our State Fair Sausage & Pepper Sandwich and all our other sausage specialties.

Recipe notes

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