Alfredo bratwurst

I first had this bizarre and particular dish in the midst of a Depressive stage. My stepfather, a man who fluctuates from easygoing and fun to be around, to hackle raising and stressful, made this after drinking several tall cans of Mike’s Twisted Tea. I usually hate being around him when he drinks, as he targets me and berates me for random reasons throughout the night. But tonight, he was tolerable to be around.

It was near midnight, and we were watching some show I do not remember anymore. I remember my stomach groaning for sustenance, and in his inebriated state, he grabbed a small pack of bratwursts, alfredo sauce and pasta. I was a little high from being tricked into eating an edible, so I watched as he made this bizarre dish.

When he gave me a bowl, it looked rather weird. White sauce with noodles, and chunks of chopped up bratwurst that stuck to the noodles, the thin skin crispy from being fried.

“Try it.” he grumbled, already devouring his own bowl. I didn’t want to, but I was hungry.

It was...odd. Both creamy and thick, and a hint of bitterness from some cheese he added to the sauce. But the bitterness was balanced perfectly with the savory sweetness to the brats. The noodles were a bit soggy from absorbing the sauce, but it went well with the fried meat.

Once the taste hit my mouth, I devoured the bowl, giving myself hiccups from eating so quickly. My stepfather was laughing as I, for some reason, decided the best way to cure them was a room temperature Dr. Pepper.

I went for a second bowl, taking my time this time. The sauce had a creamy garlic taste, along with more cheese. Cream cheese to be exact. With my palate, I can taste and feel so many flavors. And I cried for the flavors.

My stepfather is a man who never really gave me any comforts, so for a brief moment, we bonded over our love for bizarre food. ANd after that night, this very dish became a comfort food for me. I make it whenever I feel down and need something to feel something. Especially for my mental health and for myself. And later on, for the loss I felt at the deaths of several family and friends.

And now, below this excerpt on why I adore this dish, is the recipe I created for the dish.

First off: start boiling noodles. Spaghetti is my favorite, as I can enjoy the sauces it has sticking to the pasta.

Once that is boiling, cut up the bratwurst into pieces no bigger than an inch. Then, toss them in a pan and began cooking, rendering out the binding fat.

After all the brats are brown and a bit crispy, add in two bottles of Alfredo sauce. I use one bottle of garlic alfredo, and one bottle of four cheese.

Then, once the sauce is added, place in one brick of neufchatel cheese. Gently mix that until it begans to break down and blend with the sauce. Then, for some extra gooeyness, add in a small amount of mozzarella cheese. And a bit of Parmesan.

Add in three tablespoons of milk for extra creaminess.

Mix it all together, melting the cheese down until it begins to bond with the bratwurst.

Your noodles should be al dente now. Firm to the tooth. Once that is drained and waiting, add in the sauce, stirring and folding the brats in.

Cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer for ten minutes on a low heat.

ONce it’s done, take in the rich taste of the sauce, savoring the concoction. The brats are crispy and sweet, the sauce, while musky in scent, is savory and smooth from all the added cheese and milk. But I warn you,

Once you start eating this dish, you can never just get one serving.