Mexitalo Pastandcheech
Dedicated to my father, who will think this an unholy combination.
This is another dish that I’ve made many a time, but never considered blog-worthy until recently.
¼ - ½ lb cooked small pasta like elbows or ditalini
1 15-oz can ceci (chick peas)
½ stalk celery, chopped
¼ green bell pepper, chopped
½ - 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
½ small tomato, chopped, or a dollop of tomato sauce
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
¼ chipotle pepper, cut in half
½ tbsp dried oregano
¾ tbsp ground cumin
Small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, chopped
S & P
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp or so olive oil and/or bacon fat
Grated locatelli for topping
Sauté celery, green pepper, garlic, and onion in enough fat to slightly more than coat them. When you get a good sizzle going for a minute or 2, add salt, black pepper, a little of the cumin and oregano, and the bay leaf.
When the vegetables become tender, add the beans (and their liquid, if you wish), the tomato, and more cumin and oregano. You’ll probably need to sprinkle in some more S & P too.
Simmer for several minutes. Continue tasting for seasoning until you are more or less pleased. Remember that you still have a powerful flavor to add: the chipotle. Add that about 5 – 7 minutes before you’re ready to eat. The longer the chipotle is in there, the spicier the dish. I like to keep the chipotle in 2 or 3 big pieces so I can easily pluck them out when the heat approaches my danger zone.
You can make this as soupy or tight as you like by adding more or less of the pasta cooking water, the beans’ canning liquid, or some broth to the bean mixture as it cooks. I like it more on the soupy side.
Once this mixture has comingled for 10 minutes or so, remove the chipotle if you haven’t already and want to. Remove the bay leaf. Add your cooked pasta and fresh herbs. Be sure to pile some grated Locatelli on top of your heaping bowl before you mangi/comes.
-Elena
This is another dish that I’ve made many a time, but never considered blog-worthy until recently.
¼ - ½ lb cooked small pasta like elbows or ditalini
1 15-oz can ceci (chick peas)
½ stalk celery, chopped
¼ green bell pepper, chopped
½ - 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
½ small tomato, chopped, or a dollop of tomato sauce
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
¼ chipotle pepper, cut in half
½ tbsp dried oregano
¾ tbsp ground cumin
Small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, chopped
S & P
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp or so olive oil and/or bacon fat
Grated locatelli for topping
Sauté celery, green pepper, garlic, and onion in enough fat to slightly more than coat them. When you get a good sizzle going for a minute or 2, add salt, black pepper, a little of the cumin and oregano, and the bay leaf.
When the vegetables become tender, add the beans (and their liquid, if you wish), the tomato, and more cumin and oregano. You’ll probably need to sprinkle in some more S & P too.
Simmer for several minutes. Continue tasting for seasoning until you are more or less pleased. Remember that you still have a powerful flavor to add: the chipotle. Add that about 5 – 7 minutes before you’re ready to eat. The longer the chipotle is in there, the spicier the dish. I like to keep the chipotle in 2 or 3 big pieces so I can easily pluck them out when the heat approaches my danger zone.
You can make this as soupy or tight as you like by adding more or less of the pasta cooking water, the beans’ canning liquid, or some broth to the bean mixture as it cooks. I like it more on the soupy side.
Once this mixture has comingled for 10 minutes or so, remove the chipotle if you haven’t already and want to. Remove the bay leaf. Add your cooked pasta and fresh herbs. Be sure to pile some grated Locatelli on top of your heaping bowl before you mangi/comes.
-Elena
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