Forbidden Sausage Garlic Mayo Pasta

Slice the sausages on the diagonal into easy-to-eat pieces. Cutting them a bit thick makes them more satisfying to eat and look more appetizing.

Add sesame oil to a pan over high heat and shake the pan to coat all the sausages in the oil.

Turn each sausage cut-side down and sear them slowly.

Once the pan starts to lightly smoke, lower to medium heat and keep cooking. When they are nicely browned, flip them over and sear the other side the same way.

Once both sides are well seared, add the water and the seasonings, stir lightly, and bring to a boil.

When it comes to a boil, add the pasta. It softens as it heats, so move it gently to submerge it all in the water without breaking it.

Once fully submerged, boil for the time indicated on the package. Stir gently now and then so the pasta does not stick together. For pasta with a longer cooking time, add water along the way to adjust.

The starch released from the pasta naturally thickens the sauce. When the liquid has reduced nicely, lower to low heat to finish so it does not reduce too far and turn salty or dry.

Once the sauce has the right thickness and volume, turn off the heat.

With the heat off, add the mayonnaise and coat everything using the residual heat.

When everything is coated in mayonnaise, pile it generously into a bowl. Twisting the pasta lightly as you plate adds height and makes it look more appetizing.

Top with green onion and shredded nori as desired, and sprinkle with black pepper. Egg yolk or grated cheese is also a delicious addition.