Italian Drunken Noodles

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 orange bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine (like chardonnay)
• 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, julienned
• 12 ounces egg noodles
• Fresh Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

1. Place a large, heavy-bottom pan or braising pot over medium-high heat; add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, crumble the Italian sausage into the pan in small chunks, allowing it to brown in the oil for a few moments.
2. When the crumbled sausage is browned, remove it from the pan/pot with a slotted spoon and place into a small bowl to hold for a moment.
3. Place in the pan the diced bell peppers, salt, Italian seasoning and cracked black pepper. Stir to combine. Allow to sauté for about 2 minutes until slightly tender.
4. Add the garlic. Once it becomes aromatic, add the white wine and allow it to reduce for a few moments, until almost completely reduced.
5. Add the diced tomatoes with their juice.
6. To finish the sauce, drizzle in about 2 to 3 good tablespoons of the olive oil to create a rich flavor.
7. Add the chopped parsley and about half of the basil.
8. Return the browned Italian sausage back into the pan and gently fold the mixture to combine. Allow it to gently simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes to blend the flavors. Then turn the heat off.
9. Stir and keep warm while you prepare the noodles.

Attribution

Photo credit: kari621 / CC BY