Thrifty Recipes: 3 ways to cook with sausages

Swap out the classic sausage snap with one of these three recipes.

These dishes are ever so simple and full of nutrients but the best part? They’re cheap!

Check out these recipes that are under $5 per serving:

Panzanella tray bake recipe

Serves: 4

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 35 mins

Ingredients:

• ½ sourdough bread loaf, torn into 2cm pieces

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 medium eggplant, cut into 2cm pieces

• 680g pkt pork chipolatas

• 1 red capsicum, seeded, cut into 3cm pieces

• 250g cherry truss tomatoes

• ¾ cup pitted Sicilian olives

• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• ½ cup chicken stock

• ¼ cup lemon juice

• ½ cup fresh basil leaves

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.

2. In a bowl, toss sourdough pieces with half the olive oil. Set aside.

3. In a flameproof 10-cup casserole dish, heat remaining oil on high. Cook eggplant 4-5 mins until golden. Remove from pan and set aside.

4. In same pan, brown sausages 4-5 mins. Remove dish from heat.

5. Return eggplant to dish with capsicum, tomatoes, olives and garlic. Pour over combined stock and juice. Top with bread. Season.

6. Bake 20-25 mins until bread is crisp and golden, and sausages cooked through. Sprinkle with basil leaves.

Meatballs & spaghetti recipe

Serves: 4

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 15 mins

Ingredients:

• 560g pkt thick beef sausages

• 500g spaghetti

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 575g jar tomato and basil pasta sauce

• 250g punnet cherry tomatoes

• 100g baby spinach

• grated parmesan, small basil leaves, to serve

Method:

1. To make meatballs, squeeze meat from sausage casings in small portions.

2. Cook pasta following packet directions. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup cooking water. Return to pan and keep warm.

3. In a large frying pan, heat oil on medium. Cook meatballs, in 2 batches, 4-5 mins each batch, tossing to cook through evenly.

4. Return meatballs to pan with pasta sauce, tomatoes and reserved cooking water. Bring to boil. Remove from heat, then stir spinach through.

5. Divide pasta among bowls. Top with meatballs and sauce, parmesan and basil.

Beef sausage pizza recipe

Serves: 4

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 20 mins

Ingredients:

• 4 pita breads

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 400g can cherry tomatoes, drained

• 1/3 cup caramelised onion relish

• 2 cups shredded tasty cheese

• 4 thick beef sausages, sliced (see Tip)

• ½ cup chargrilled capsicum, sliced

• 1 red onion, sliced

• ¼ cup oregano leaves

• salad leaves, to serve

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper.

2. Brush pita breads with oil. Arrange on tray and bake 6-8 mins until crisp. In a small bowl, combine tomatoes and caramelised onion.

3. Top pita breads with tomato mixture, cheese, sliced sausage and capsicum.

4. Bake 8-10 mins until sausage is cooked through and cheese has melted. Top with red onion and oregano to serve. Accompany with salad.

TIP: To make slicing uncooked sausages easier, put them in a bowl, cover with boiling water 1-2 mins to blanch, then drain and slice.