Angela's Italian Recipe for Mussels with Fennel and Sausages

Mussels with Fennel and Sausages
(Cozze con Finocchio e Salsicce)


Ingredients:

2 pounds sweet or hot link sausages, divided 2 large onions, sliced (about 6 cups), divided 2 large fresh fennel bulbs, sliced (about 6 cups), divided 6 garlic cloves, crushed, divided 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper, divided 3 cups dry white wine (about one 750-ml bottle), divided 6 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded One 16-ounce crusty French baguette, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices, divided Extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling) Chopped fresh Italian parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Using fork, pierce sausages all over. Heat each of 2 large cast-iron skillets or other large ovenproof skillets over medium-high heat. Add half of sausages to each skillet and cook meat until browned, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add half of onions, half of fennel, half of garlic, and half of dried crushed red pepper to each skillet. Add 1 cup white wine to each skillet and bring to boil. Cover and simmer until sausages and vegetables are cooked through, about 12 minutes. Add 1/2 cup wine, then 1/2 of mussels to each skillet. Transfer skillets to oven and roast uncovered 5 minutes. Carefully remove skillets from oven; top each skillet with enough baguette slices to cover completely. Return skillets to oven; bake uncovered until mussels open and bread slices begin to brown, about 5 minutes longer. Discard any mussels that do not open. Drizzle bread in each skillet with extra-virgin olive oil, then sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve mussels and sausages directly from skillets. Serves 8.

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