Great Mexican Comfort Food: Baked Fideo

I'm sure I've mentioned it before, but I worked at the Food Network back in my early twenties. It was the early days of the network. Back when all of the hosts were trained chefs, the staff numbered about fifty, and all of the sets rotated on one tiny sound stage. It was a fun, fun job, and I got to meet some amazing people.

Two of my favorite hosts were the Two Hot Tamales. They were wonderful women, full of smiles and laughter, and the joy they got from their food and their friendship was infectious. Whenever I had the pleasure of being around these women, I was thrilled. It didn't hurt that all of their food was amazing. From the moistest tamales you've ever tasted to amazing homemade salsa, I loved all of it.

One of my favorite dishes in their repertoire was Baked Fideo. It's a cheap and easy meal that manages to taste both comforting and exotic, and when Michael and I were a poor young couple scraping by in New York, it was one of our regular dishes. For some reason, though, I hadn't made it in years. Tonight, though, I suddenly remembered this long lost dish, and quickly cooked up an amazing meal.

My version is slightly different from the one that Mary Sue and Susan made (they use fresh tomatoes and dried chipotles), but the spirit of it is the same. It's smokey and a bit spicy, and all together delicious.

Baked Fideo

1 32 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped into eights
6 garlic cloves, cut in half
2 chipotles in adobo plus a teaspoon or two of the sauce (found in the Mexican aisle - these come in a small can - there are a few in the can, but you only want two)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup olive oil
8 ounces angel hair pasta (I like buying the nests - they are easier to break up)
1-1/2 cups vegetable broth or water
3/4 cup grated anejo cheese (this is hard to find - I usually substitute Parmigiano Reggiano)
sliced avocado and sour cream to garnish

Prehat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a blender, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, chipotles and water.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Break up the pasta into pieces and add it to the oil, stirring frequently. When the pasta is browned (again, stir a LOT so it doesn't burn), add the tomato sauce from the blender and the vegetable stock. Bring the entire mixture to a simmer, and then pour it into a 13x9 inch baking dish.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 12 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Turn the heat up to 400 degrees and bake the dish for an additional 10 minutes. Serve with sliced avocado and sour cream as garnish. Enjoy!

Comments

[kakaty]

This sounds amazing! We will be trying this very soon.

[kyoot]

It sounds so very very good, and almost easy. Do you have a pic for me so I can tell if I've got it right?

[mamacita]

I loved the Two Hot Tamales. It's a shame what's happened to the Food Network since then.

[emily]

Do the chipotles go in the blender with the tomatoes? This sounds easy and GOOD!

[foodmomiac]

Mary, I added the photo JUST FOR YOU!!
Emily, yep, right in with the tomatoes (editing the instructions to add that)

[mommyknows]

You had me at the avacodo!

[kyoot]

thanks oh that looks so yummy! and I think I could get the hubbie to eat it! :)

[Lisa H.]

I made this tonight with grilled corn. It was great - My husband loved it and is excited to have left overs for the week.
Thanks for posting this!

[Dani]

That looks delicious. I went to their restaraunt a few times in Santa Monica - love them. I used to watch them all the time... ahhh... i miss them.

[Chiffonade]

You mean you worked for TVFN when it was GOOD! Any network that airs Sandra Lee cannot POSSIBLY be taken seriously. The Cooking Channel is kind of like their do-over. I googled fideo because I had no idea what it was and wound up here - yours looks excellent! Believe me, I'll be trying this sometime soon. Spaghetti in any incarnation is a winner as far as I'm concerned.