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Mexican-Style Pasta with Tomato and Three-Chili Sauce (Fideo Seco a Los Tres Chiles). Excerpted from PATI JINICH TREASURES OF THE MEXICAN TABLE: Classic Recipes, Local Secrets © 2021 by Pati Jinich. Photography © 2021 by Angie Mosier. Reproduced by permission of Mariner Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.

Mexican-Style Pasta with Tomato and Three-Chili Sauce (Fideo Seco a Los Tres Chiles)

Pati Jinich
Cook’s Note: The variety of dried chiles you use for this dish is not set in stone. If you don’t have one or the other of the chiles listed, use two of the same kind, or choose another chile. You could also substitute a canned chipotle in adobo for the dried one.
Course Dinner
Cuisine Latin American, Mexican
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1⁄2 pounds pounds ripe tomatoes or 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled
  • 1 dried guajillo chile, stemmed and seeded
  • 1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
  • 1 dried chipotle chile, preferably morita
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped white onion
  • 1 tablespoon sauce from chipotles in adobo
  • 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 pound fideos, or vermicelli, angel hair, or spaghettini, broken into smaller pieces
  • 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup crema or sour cream
  • 1/2 cup crumbled queso Cotija or añejo, or, for a milder, moister cheese topping, queso fresco, feta, or farmers’ cheese
  • 1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, and sliced, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Place the fresh tomatoes, if using, garlic, and guajillo, ancho, and chipotle chiles in a medium saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until the tomatoes are soft and the chiles are softened, about 10 minutes. Remove the chipotle and allow it to cool until you can handle it, then remove the stem and seeds.
  • Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes, garlic, and chiles (including the chipotle) to the blender, then add 1⁄2 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the canned tomatoes and their juice, if using, the onion, adobo sauce, oregano, salt, and pepper and puree until smooth.
  • Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the pasta pieces and cook, stirring constantly, until they are nicely browned and smell toasty, 4 to 8 minutes. Take care not to burn them.
  • Pour in the tomato-chile puree, using the lid to shield yourself, as it will sizzle and splatter. Stir to combine with the noodles and cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and darkens, 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Stir in the broth and bay leaves. Continue to cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking, until the pasta is soft and the tomato sauce has thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. The mixture should be quite dry. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
  • Serve garnished with the cream, cheese, and avocado slices.

Notes

Treasures of the Mexican Table by Pati JinichExcerpted from PATI JINICH TREASURES OF THE MEXICAN TABLE: Classic Recipes, Local Secrets © 2021 by Pati Jinich. Photography © 2021 by Angie Mosier. Reproduced by permission of Mariner Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
Keyword Cheese, Chiles, Onions, Pasta, Tomato