Is There Such a Thing as Mexican Pasta?

We've been misled. Too many of us think that Mexican food is just a bunch of variations of tortillas stuffed with meat or fish, add a little Jack cheese, some refried beans and rice on the side. Nachos, salsa, sour cream, cilantro. Well, some of it is true. The real truth is that much of what passes for Mexican food in the U.S. is really Tex-Mex. But most of it is really a corruption of what people think is Mexican food, in the same way that Chop Suey passes for Chinese. So much of it is the creation of fast food chains and American street vendors. But as a number of top chefs like Rick Bayless have shown us, there can be great refinement in Mexican cuisine. You just have to look beyond the burrito and taco stands and look to the Mexican countryside or the fishing villages to find some great variety, fascinating flavors, spicing and saucing techniques That's what we did in this week's episode with "Sopa Seca." That translates literally as "dry soup." This dish is not dry, however. It turns out something like a casserole with a delicious sauce that you can make as spicy or as mild as you like. But is there really pasta in Mexican cuisine? When I first saw this recipe, I asked myself the same question. Does Mexican cuisine even have pasta? The original recipe calls for a pasta known as "fideos," but you can substitute vermicelli. See the link below if you want to purchase this product from a Mexican food purveyor we found. Like so many other cuisines, pasta is borrowed -- some say from Italy, others from China. Nevertheless, this is probably the most difficult part of this recipe: frying the vermicelli and making sure it's not too greasy. Because the pasta is quite absorbent, it will soak up the oil and retain it if you fry it at too low a temperature. And, like all foods that we deep fry, it needs time on paper towels to drain. The other "issue" with this dish is the spice level. Our recipe has four chipotle chilies, which can add quite a bit of heat. But you can add less or more, depending on your taste. We also call for Cotija cheese, a Mexican cheese that's quite crumbly - a lot like feta. We also call for crema, the Mexican version of creme fraiche. If you can't find either of these ingredients in your store, you can certainly use feta and sour cream. Or you can order then online at this Mexican specialty store. Here's my version of "Sopa Seca," with the recipe coming from one of my favorite food magazines, Saveur. You can find the recipe at my website: http://kitchenguy.biz.