Ok, maybe not better than mom’s spaghetti, but pretty close.  This Drunken Noodle dish is going to become a household staple.  My wife hates spaghetti, so I never get to eat it.  But we both LOVE Pad Kee Mow from the local Thai restaurant in our town so I saw this and thought we should give it a shot.  It has such simple ingredients that become so rich when combined.  And the best part is my wife loved it. So now, I get to have something close to spaghetti at home! I like to call that a win-win.

While the directions below might seem long and daunting, this was really quite easy to make.  I was impressed by the depth of flavor I got from the sauce without having to spend hours developing the flavors like you would with traditional spaghetti sauce.

Recipe

Ingredients:  (serves 4)

Olive oil
4 spicy Italian sausage links (taken out of their casings)
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
½ tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin (core and seeds removed)
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin (core and seeds removed)
1 orange bell pepper, sliced thin (core and seeds removed)
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup white wine
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
2 Tbl. parsley, chopped
¼ cup fresh basil leaves (or more if you love it as much as I do!), julienned and divided
8 ounces uncooked Pappardelle noodles

Directions:

Put about 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy bottom pan.  After oil is hot add the spicy sausage into small-medium crumbles (see picture above for reference) and allow to brown.  After sausage is cooked through, remove from pan and set aside.

Add the onion into the pan with the sausage drippings.  Allow to caramelize and ass more olive oil if needed.  This should take about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Next add the salt, Italian season and pepper, stirring to combine.  Add the bell peppers and sauté with the onions for about 2 minutes or until slightly tender.  Add the garlic and as soon as it becomes fragrant add in the white wine.  Allow to reduce almost completely (this will happen pretty quick), then add the diced tomatoes with their juices and the sausage you cooked first.  Stir to combine all ingredients.  Simmer for 3-4 minutes so the flavors have a chance to blend, then turn the heat off.  Drizzle another 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil to create a nice silky texture and rich flavor.  Add in the parsley and half of the basil.  Put a lid on the mixture to keep warm while you prepare the noodles.

Prepare the noodles according to the packaging instructions.  (You can also cook the noodles simultaneously while cooking the sauce, which is what I did)

Add the cooked pappardelle noodles into the sauce and use tongs to mix.  Plate the drunken noodles, dividing evenly among the plates.  Finish with the remaining basil.

Enjoy!

I found this recipe over at The Cozy Apron blog.  So if you make it and like it, be sure to head over and give her some appreciation!

Published by daddyandmefoodie

Hi, my name is Dawson. There is a whole world out there and I want to see as much as I can with my beautiful wife and amazing daughter. It is never too early or late to discover new places and what people eat there. Born and raised in a small town in California, I've led a simple life that leaves me craving far off destinations. My mom taught me the basics of cooking and I have been working in kitchens, delis, bakeries and cafeterias ever since. So along with recommendations of cool spots to eat, I will also add a few recipes here and there to share with everyone what I have been sharing with my family. View all posts by daddyandmefoodie