Drunken Italian Noodles

I made this for my four guy friends and I thought I would have leftovers, but that was definitely not the case. This amount would normally feed about eight people, but for this group, only five… barely.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½lbs Hot Italian Sausage
• 1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 large white onion, thinly sliced (pole to pole)
• 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
• 1 Tbsp. Basil
• 1 Tsp. Parsley
• 1 28oz can and 1 15oz can diced tomatoes
• ½ Tsp. Salt
• 1 Tsp. Pepper
• ½ Tsp. Crushed Red Pepper (If you want it extra spicy)
• 5 Tbsp. EVOO
• Wide noodles (If you want to make your own like I did, recipe is below)

Directions:

• In a large heavy bottom pan over medium high heat, add EVOO. Once hot, add Italian Sausage in large crumbles. Cook until brown then remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Add onions to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, constantly stirring until onions begin to caramelize.
• Add salt, Italian seasoning, pepper and crushed red pepper (if desired); stir to combine.
• Add bell peppers and sauté for 2-3 minutes. 
• Add diced tomatoes and their juices.
• Return sausage to the pan and simmer. 
• Add Basil, Parsley and 3 Tbsp. EVOO. Stir until incorporated and leave on low.
• Finish noodles, and cook. Fresh pasta only needs about 4 minutes in boiling water.
• After drained, add noodles into sausage mixture and gently mix with tongs.
• Serve with extra basil on top.

Wide Noodles

Ingredients:

• 3 ½ to 4 cups flour
• 4 extra-large eggs
• 1 Tbsp. EVOO

Directions:

• Mound 3 ½ cups of the flour on clean countertop or large enough wooden cutting board. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add the eggs and olive oil. Beat together the eggs and oil and begin to incorporate the flour, starting with the inner rim of the well. As you expand the well, keep pushing the flour up from the base of the mound to retain the well shape.
• The dough will come together when half of the flour is incorporated. At this point, start kneading the dough with both hands, using the palms of your hands.
• Once there is a cohesive mass, remove the dough and discard any leftover bits. Lightly re-flour your area and continue kneading for 6 more minutes. The dough should be elastic and a little sticky.
• Wrap the dough in plastic and allow to rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
• Separate dough into fourths then using a stand mixer attachment, or any pasta rolling attachment, roll out sections. I go to level 6 of my Kitchaid Mixer.
• Lightly flour both sides on countertop and hand cut pasta into ¼ inch wide pieces.