Description
Napolitan spaghetti brings Japanese-Italian fusion to life with its unique blend of ketchup-based sauce and vibrant ingredients. Comfort meets creativity in this nostalgic dish that celebrates cross-cultural culinary innovation while delivering a delightful taste experience you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 12 to 13 ounces (340 to 368 grams) beef sausage or other smoked sausage
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 medium green bell pepper
- ½ medium yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic
Sauce and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) unsalted butter, divided
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon (75 milliliters) ketchup, divided
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) hot sauce, such as Tabasco
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) olive oil
- ½ teaspoon (2.5 grams) kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon (1.25 grams) freshly ground black pepper
Pasta:
- 1 pound (454 grams) dried spaghetti
Garnish:
- Shaved Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and generously salt it, bringing to a rolling boil over high heat while preparing the remaining components.
- Slice beef sausage into thin half-moon shapes, then chop green bell pepper, yellow onion, and garlic into delicate pieces.
- Create a vibrant sauce by melting butter and blending it with ketchup, oyster sauce, and hot sauce in a small bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Heat olive oil in a spacious skillet, introducing minced garlic and sautéing until aromatic. Incorporate onions and beef sausage, cooking until onions become translucent.
- Add bell peppers to the skillet, seasoning with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until vegetables soften and develop slight caramelization.
- Create a central well in the skillet, pouring the prepared sauce into the cleared space. Allow sauce to lightly caramelize without stirring.
- Stir the entire mixture, letting it simmer until the sauce thickens and coats the ingredients evenly.
- Simultaneously, cook spaghetti in the boiling water, removing it one minute before reaching full al dente. Preserve a cup of pasta water before draining.
- Transfer pasta directly into the skillet, combining with sauce and reserved cooking water. Toss thoroughly to ensure even coating.
- Finish the dish by incorporating additional butter and ketchup, adjusting sauce consistency with pasta water as needed.
- Plate the Napolitan and garnish with delicate shavings of Parmesan cheese for an elegant touch.
Notes
- Originating from Japan, this Napolitan pasta dish blends Western-inspired flavors with unique Japanese cooking techniques.
- Beef sausage provides a robust, savory base that elevates the traditional tomato-based sauce into a more complex and hearty meal.
- Carefully caramelizing the ketchup mixture creates a rich, slightly sweet undertone that distinguishes this recipe from standard pasta preparations.
- Reserved pasta water is crucial for achieving the perfect sauce consistency, helping the ketchup and butter emulsify smoothly around the noodles.
- Hot sauce and oyster sauce add unexpected depth and umami, transforming a simple spaghetti dish into a surprisingly sophisticated comfort food.
- Quick cooking and strategic layering of ingredients ensure each component maintains its distinct texture and contributes to the overall flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 70 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg