Roasted Potatoes and Pork Sausage

• Servings: 4.

Adapted from The Southern Italian Table, by Arthur Schwartz.  Serve with a side of braised broccoli rabe and you'll feel like you're in Calabria.

Use a skillet that can be used in a hot oven; not all non-stick pans should be used at temperatures over 400° F. Don't automatically add salt or pepper because the juices from the usually well-seasoned sausages will flavor the potatoes.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds pork sausage; if a long piece, cut into 3 to 4-inch lengths

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450° F.
2. Place the potatoes in an ovenproof 10-inch sauté pan or skillet. Drizzle with the olive oil and toss to coat.
3. Arrange the slices in a layer, doubling up as necessary.
4. Place the sausages on top of the potatoes.
5. Bake for 15 minutes and using a metal spatula, dig under the sausages to turn the potatoes, scraping up any brown, crispy bits as you turn the slices. Rearrange the sausages on top, turning them over as you do.
6. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how thick your sausages. It's done when the sausages are cooked through and a little brown, and the potatoes are tender and are also browned.
7. If you're uncertain if the sausage is cooked, remove one from the pan and slice off a piece. It should be juicy, cooked through, and maybe a tiny bit pink in the center.