Ingredients:

  • 1 lb Spicy Italian Sausage, casings removed
  • 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 12 oz Wide Egg Noodles or Pappardelle
  • 1 large Red Bell Pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 large Yellow Bell Pepper, thinly sliced
  • 4 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1/2 cup Dry White Wine
  • 15 oz Crushed Tomatoes
  • 1 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1/2 cup Fresh Basil, chiffonade
  • 1/4 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of salted water (it should taste like the sea!) to a boil. Drop in your 12 oz of wide egg noodles. Cook them for about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Note: We want them al dente because they will soak up more liquid later.
  2. While the pasta water heats up, add 2 tbsp of olive oil to your large skillet over medium high heat. Add the 1 lb of spicy Italian sausage (casings removed). Break it up with a wooden spoon, but leave some thumb sized chunks for texture. Cook until the edges are bronzed and crispy, which usually takes about 6-8 minutes. Remove the sausage to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
  3. In that same pan with the sausage fat, toss in the sliced red and yellow bell peppers. Sauté for 5 minutes until they start to soften and char slightly. Add the 4 cloves of thinly sliced garlic and 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant and translucent, being careful not to let it turn dark brown.
  4. Pour in the 1/2 cup of dry white wine. Use your wooden spoon to scrape all those flavorful brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Let it bubble away for 2-3 minutes until the wine has reduced by half. This concentrates the flavor and removes the harsh boozy edge.
  5. Stir in the 15 oz of crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp of dried oregano, 1 tsp of salt, and 1/2 tsp of pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Add the cooked sausage back into the pan. Let this meld together for 5 minutes while your pasta finishes cooking.
  6. Before draining the noodles, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the noodles and add them directly into the skillet with the sauce. Toss gently with tongs.
  7. Add a splash (about 1/4 cup) of the reserved pasta water and the 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan. Keep tossing over low heat until the sauce looks glossy and clings to the noodles. If it looks too dry, add a bit more pasta water. Finally, fold in the 1/2 cup of fresh basil chiffonade just before serving.