Baked Fideo

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Cookbook

Cooking with Too Hot Tamales

Published by William Morrow

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This image courtesy of Joseph DeLeo

Editor's Note: This week, make a dish with some serious heat when you use this recipe for Baked Fideo. The recipe includes a number of ingredients, but don't let that deter you. This recipe is actually easy to make and can be ready to eat within an hour. You'll love the use of noodles, tomatoes, garlic, and avocado slices in this dish. There's even a variation for this recipe that uses mushrooms, which is included after the instructions. Keep this recipe in mind the next time you want to add some heat to your weeknight dinner plans.

We are huge fans of the traditional sopas secas, or dried soups, of Mexico. With just a few simple ingredients from the pantry, you can make a dish of unusual depth. Stir leftover baked fideo into chicken stock and garnish with lime and avocado for an instant Mexican soup.

Serves6 to 8

Cooking MethodBaking, Sauteeing

CostInexpensive

Easy

Total Timeunder 1 hour

Kid FriendlyYes

OccasionCasual Dinner Party

Recipe CourseMain Course, Side Dish

EquipmentBaking/gratin Dish, Blender

MealDinner

Taste and TextureBubbly, Cheesy, Creamy, Crunchy, Hot & Spicy, Smoky

Type of DishBaked Pasta, Casserole, Dry Pasta, Pasta

Ingredients

2 pounds Roma tomatoes, cored and halved
1 large onion, roughly chopped
8 garlic cloves, halved
½ cup water
2 teaspoons coarse salt
12 ounces fideo, vermicelli, or angel hair pasta, broken into 1-inch pieces
6 dried chipotle chiles
2 cups vegetable stock or water
¾ cup grated anejo cheese
1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled, and cut into 8 wedges
1 small bunch cilantro, leaves only, chopped
Crema or sour cream (optional)

Instructions

In a blender, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, water, and salt. Puree until smooth. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 13 × 9-inch baking dish.
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the broken pasta and saute, stirring frequently to avoid burning, until deep golden brown. Add the chiles and cook, stirring, 2 minutes longer. Stir in the tomato puree and the stock or water and bring to a simmer. Pour into the baking dish.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake 10 to 15 minutes, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the noodles are tender. Uncover and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Turn the oven temperature up to 400 degrees F and bake, uncovered, an additional 10 minutes, or until bubbling and golden. Arrange the avocado slices on top, sprinkle with the cilantro, drizzle with the crema if desired, and serve.

Variation

Saute 1 pound mushrooms, sliced, with 1 onion finely diced, and 1 small bunch epazote, leaves only, in olive oil and stir into the fideo mixture before baking.