Italian Sausage Baked in Red Wine

Step 1: Prick each sausage with a fork in several places. Place them in a dutch oven (or any deep stove top to oven pan). Add the cloves of one of the garlic heads and enough water to cover. Cover the pan and bring to a boil.

Step 2: Reduce the heat and simmer 30-40 minutes.

Step 3: Preheat the oven to 350F (180C or gas mark 4).

Step 4: Drain the simmered sausages and discard the used garlic cloves. Rinse with hot water; drain.

Step 5: Cut sausages into 3/4-inch rounds; return them to the dutch oven along with the wine and the remaining garlic. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil (allow the steam to escape in several places). Bake for 30 minutes.

Step 6: Uncover and continue to bake, stirring occasionally, until the sausages are brown and crispy and have absorbed most of the wine (45 - 1 1/4 hour).

Step 7: De-fat any pan juices. A wonderful appetizer when served immediately in any remaining pan juices in a slow cooker or chafing dish. Also may be refrigerated or frozen to be served at a later time or used in your favorite recipe.