Ditch brat’s bun in favor of pasta with apples

Ready to bring Oktoberfest home? It is, after all, a fine way to get into the spirit of fall.

We start with that most ubiquitous of German sausages (at least in this country), the bratwurst. Here in the U.S., we tend to think of brats as a one-and-done sort of food.

I wanted to rethink this classic sandwich as a weeknight friendly dinner. It was easier — and more delicious — than I thought.

For ease and speed, I did the bratwursts on the grill. While the brats cook, you caramelize a mess of onions, peppers and apples, creating a lightly sweet complement to the peppery sausages. After the mixture cooks down, I deglazed the pan with a bit of beer and stir in a smidge of hot mustard. All the classic flavors.

The sausages and the onion mixture then get tossed with pasta and piled into a baking dish. Some buttery breadcrumbs are scattered over the top, then you pop the whole thing under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp.

Bratwurst Pasta Bake With Caramelized Onions, Peppers And Apples

Start to finish: 1 hour. Servings: 8.

For the caramelized onions:

2 tablespoons butter

2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced

2 green bell peppers, cored and thinly sliced

3 large apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon brown sugar

12 ounces German beer

¼ cup spicy German mustard

For the sausages and pasta:

1 pound bratwursts

1 pound penne pasta

1½ cups panko breadcrumbs

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Sour cream, to serve

In a large saucepan over medium-high, melt the butter. Add the onions, peppers, apples and cumin seeds, then cook, partially covered, for 15 minutes, or until the onions are lightly browned and very tender. Stir in the brown sugar, then cook for another 2 minutes. Add the beer and mustard, then stir to release any brown bits stuck on the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat, cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a grill to medium-high and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat the broiler. Lightly mist a 9-by-12-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Add the penne to the boiling water and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, grill the bratwursts until they reach 165 degrees at the center and are lightly charred outside, about 10 minutes. Let the sausages cool slightly, then cut into 1-inch chunks. Add the pasta and bratwursts to the pan of onions and toss well. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly.

In a small bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs and melted butter, then scatter evenly over the pasta. Broil on the oven’s middle shelf for 2 to 3 minutes, turning the pan as needed for even browning. Serve with sour cream.

Per serving: 660 calories; 270 calories from fat (41 percent of total calories); 30 g fat (14 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 75 mg cholesterol; 710 mg sodium; 78 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 17 g sugar; 17 g protein.