Napolitan (Japanese Ketchup Spaghetti)

Step 1

Gather all the ingredients. Start boiling a large pot of water (I use a 4 QT pot).

Step 2

In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and mix them together.

Step 3

Cut the onion into thin slices.

Step 4

Cut the green bell pepper in half lengthwise (if it's long), and then cut into thin strips.

Step 5

Cut the mushrooms into thin slices.

Step 6

Cut the sausages diagonally into thin slices.

Step 7

Once the water is boiling, add the salt and spaghetti. Stir to make sure the noodles don't stick to each other. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. Toward the end of cooking, you will reserve some pasta cooking water.While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce.

Step 8

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. When it's hot, add the oil and distribute it evenly. Add the crushed garlic (I use this garlic press) and sauté for 1 minute, just until golden and fragrant.

Step 9

Add the onions to the pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Step 10

When the onions are wilted, add the sausages and sauté for 1 minute.

Step 11

Add the bell peppers and mushrooms and sauté until everything is cooked.

Step 12

Season with the salt and pepper.

Step 13

Push the ingredients to one side and add the sauce mixture to the empty side of the pan. When the sauce starts to bubble and thicken, mix it together with the sausages and vegetables.

Step 14

Now, scoop out some of the starchy cooking water from the pasta pot, about ¼ cup for 2 servings. Add roughly half of it to the pasta sauce, stirring well. Check the consistency of the sauce, and gradually add more reserved pasta water until the sauce is the consistency you like. You may not need all the pasta water that you saved.

Step 15

Mix it all together and let the sauce simmer and reduce a bit.

Step 16

By now, the spaghetti should be done cooking. Drain it well in a colander and add it to the pan with the sauce. Add the butter and toss to combine using tongs, making sure the sauce coats the pasta evenly.

Step 17

Serve the Napolitan immediately on individual plates. Shave the Parmesan cheese over the pasta now or at the table.

Step 18

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for a month.