This recipe is my go-to comfort food when I need a filling dinner and a glass of wine to wind down from the day. I have to credit my dad for the bones of this recipe, but I of course have to add a few twists of my own. This dish brings back memories of coming home from cross country practice in high school starving and exhausted, then this dish would help my body and my soul completely recover. I have had an insurmountable love for pasta my entire life and this dish is simple, but it will always be one of my favorites.
WHAT YOU NEED:
Servings: 4
- ½ lb ground mild Italian sausage (you can use spicy or sweet if you want)
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 2 T olive oil
- ½ cup of red wine of your choice (I use 2 buck Chuck, no shame)
- cups red sauce of your choice (I use Prego)
- 1 T Italian seasoning
- 1 t red pepper flakes (if you like it spicier, add more)
- Pinch of sugar (trust me)
- ½ box of Rigatoni
PUT IT TOGETHER
With your pan on medium high, brown the sausage in the olive oil. Make sure the sausage is broken up small enough so that you have small pieces throughout your sauce. Gram would always tell me to break it up more than I did in my laziness, so I always break it up a little extra, cause I know she is still watching.
While the sausage is starting to cook, mince up your garlic and throw it in there.
After the sausage is brown, deglaze the pan with the red wine. Deglazing is my dad’s favorite part of making this dish for some reason, probably because it gives you a wine facial as you’re cooking. Let the red wine reduce for 1 minute and have a glass for yourself (this is a necessary step, don’t skip it).
After the red wine is reduced, add the red sauce, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes and reduce the heat to medium.
While the sauce is simmering away, put some water on to boil. Cook the pasta according to the box instructions. Personally, I like to check it before the time is up because I like my pasta more al dente than most.
When the pasta is done, add it directly to the sauce so that it can soak up all of the flavor. This is especially important for when you eat it later that same night (and you will) because the longer it sits and absorbs the sauce, the better it gets.
Serve this pasta in a big bowl and top it with an ungodly amount of Parmesan cheese. If I’m extra hungry, I’ll serve it alongside a salad or a nice piece of bread. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do, because I eat it about 3 times a week.
