A chunky sauce like this is best served with a shorter pasta shape, such as penne, shells, or rigatoni, which will “hold” the sauce, rather than spaghetti, from which the ingredients will slide to the bottom of the plate. Like all of the following recipes, this one can easily be doubled, tripled, etc., using the same proportions.
Ingredients:
- 8 ounces dried penne pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1/2 medium white onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped epazote leaves
- 2-3 fresh serrano chiles, seeded or not, depending upon how picante you like it
- 1/2 lb. sliced fresh mushrooms
- 2 medium tomatoes, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- grated manchego or chihuahua cheese
Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions.
Meanwhile, heat the oil and sauté the onion and garlic until the onion begins to soften.
Add the epazote, chiles and mushrooms and continue cooking over medium heat 3-4 more minutes.
Add the tomatoes and continue cooking another 10 minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste and mix the sauce with the hot pasta.
Mix in the grated cheese, or use it to top each serving.
Serves 6 as a side dish, 4 as a vegetarian main dish.
