Fideo

I'd never heard of Fideo before this week when my husband asked me to make some. His mom makes it so I decided to give it a try. It's basically Mexican rice made with noodles instead of rice. Typically it would be served with Carne Guisada but we don't eat much meat so I made Slow Cooker Pinto Beans and wilted spinach instead. If your unsure of how beans and pasta will taste together don't worry, I was skeptical but it's delicious. Enjoy.

Approx. 2 T Oil

1 green bell pepper

1/2t cumin

1/2t salt

14 oz can chopped tomatoes

8 oz cappellini broken into 2-3" pieces (I have found that most organic pasta is not enriched but be sure to read the ingredients)

Approx. 8oz water

1. Heat oil in large skillet. I prefer cast iron because they heat so evenly.

2. Saute bell pepper, cumin, and salt until peppers just begin to get soft.

3. Remove bell pepper from pan and set to the side.

4. Add more oil to skillet and brown the uncooked pasta. I use tongs to toss the pasta and make sure most of it gets browned.

5. Add tomatoes, bell peppers, and water to the pasta. Stir until all the ingredients are combined.

6. Let pasta simmer, uncovered, until tender. This only takes a few minutes. If you prefer a soupier version you can add more water and tomatoes as desired.