| Serves 4
generously as a main dish, 6 as a first course
Ingredients
-
1
package (10 to 12 oz) dried
fideo (vermicelli) noodles (preferably the
thinnest ones, called "angel hair" and sold in
nest shapes)
-
About
1-1/2 tbs vegetable or olive oil
-
2
C Roasted Jalapeņo-Tomato
Salsa
-
2
to 2-1/4 C rich-tasting chicken or vegetable broth
-
1
tsp salt (depending on the saltiness of the broth)
-
2
C cooked black beans, drained
|
-
1
bunch chard (about 8 good-sized leaves; look for red chard
for the prettiest dish), stems trimmed off, leaves sliced
in half lengthwise, then crosswise in 1/2-inch strips
-
1-1/2
C (about 6 oz) cubed Mexican
queso fresco (1/2-inch cubes is good) OR a
generous 1/2 C finely grated Mexican queso aņejo, Parmesan or
Romano
-
1/3
C chopped fresh cilantro
|
Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the noodle nests in a 9
X 13-inch
baking dish. Mist or brush both sides of the noodles
thoroughly with the oil. Bake, turning each nest over once,
until golden brown on both sides, about 15 minutes.
In a bowl, stir together the
salsa, broth (the smaller amount for a 10-ounce package of fideos, the larger amount for a
12-ounce package) and salt. Pour over the noodles, then turn
all the nests over again (this will ensure that they are all
moistened), cover with foil and bake 10 minutes. Uncover,
stir the noodles to completely separate the strands (they
should be soft enough by now), and stir in the beans and
chard. (It's a little awkward; the pan will be full.)
Re-cover and bake, stirring once, until the chard is cooked
and the noodles are al
dente, about 15 minutes.
Uncover, strew with the cheese and
cilantro, and you're ready to carry this homey casserole to
the table.
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