T.j. Special Recipe

Bring water to boil

In a large pot bring 6 cups water to a rolling boil with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon olive oil.

Cook vermicelli

Add 12 oz vermicelli, stir to separate, and cook uncovered according to package instructions until al dente (about 7–9 minutes). Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta and set aside.

Prepare ingredients

While pasta cooks, slice Italian sausage links into 1/2-inch rounds (or remove casings and crumble if preferred). Peel and thinly slice the onion. Core and thinly slice the red and green bell peppers. Mince 3 cloves garlic.

Brown sausage

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add sausage rounds in a single layer. Cook 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through. If using crumbled sausage, break up with a spoon and cook until no longer pink.

Sauté onions and peppers

Push browned sausage to one side, add the sliced onion and peppers to the skillet (add a splash more oil if needed). Sauté 5–7 minutes until the vegetables are softened and developing color.

Add garlic and seasonings

Add the minced garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Cook 1 minute until fragrant, stirring to combine with sausage and peppers. Remove skillet from heat and keep warm.

Start the sauce

In a separate medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and sauté 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Simmer tomatoes

Stir in 28 oz crushed tomatoes and 2 tablespoons tomato paste until smooth. Add 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon sugar (optional), 3 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally to concentrate flavors.

Adjust consistency and seasoning

If sauce is too thick, add up to 1/4 cup reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or sugar as needed.

Combine sausage & peppers with sauce

Add the cooked sausage and peppers into the marinara saucepan and stir to combine. Simmer together 2–3 minutes so flavors meld.

Toss pasta with sauce

Add the drained vermicelli to the sauce and toss gently to coat. If needed, add reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to loosen the sauce so it evenly coats the pasta (use up to the reserved 1 cup as needed).

Plate and garnish

Divide pasta among 4 plates. Sprinkle each serving with about 1/4 cup grated Parmesan and 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil or parsley. Drizzle a little olive oil if desired.

Serve

Serve immediately while hot. Offer extra Parmesan and crushed red pepper at the table.