Pasta Chilaquiles-Style
Black Beans, Salsa Verde, Fried Eggs
I got such a kick out of an email from Bon Appétit today: “If you take a photo of something in a cast-iron pan, it increases your engagement by 132 percent.”
Anyone who knows and loves the flavors of classic Mexican “chilaquiles” will fall for this dish where rigatoni stands in for corn tortillas. Chilaquiles is traditionally made of fried tortillas smothered in salsa (green or red) and garnished with cheese. Eggs, avocado, onion, sour cream, beans, chicken, cilantro and a whole host of other ingredients can be incorporated into the dish. It is designed to use up leftover ingredients.
I served it in a cast-iron pan! Yay for “engagement.” And the pan is no less a collector’s item. Griswold manufactured high-quality cast-iron cookware in Erie, Pennsylvania beginning in 1865. The plant closed in 1957.
This Griswold #14 pan is between 60 and 77 years old. Due to the size of the logo, we know the pan was produced somewhere between 1940 and 1957. Older Griswold cast-iron skillets have a larger logo.
Pasta Chilaquiles-Style Recipe
Black Bean Salsa Verde
¼ c. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. salsa verde
1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed, drained
salt and pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add garlic and cook for one minute. Add salsa and beans. Stir to heat through. Season with salt and pepper.
Pasta
12 oz. dried pasta (I used Explore Cuisine organic brown rice gluten-free rigatoni)
5 oz. queso fresco or cotija (Mexican cheese), crumbled, divided
3 T. Mexican crema (or sour cream)
4 or 5 eggs
2 t. olive oil for frying eggs
cilantro and jalapeño for garnish
Preheat oven to 325°F. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Gently toss pasta with black bean salsa verde and 3 oz. cheese. Arrange pasta in a greased ovenproof dish or pan. Drizzle crema over entire dish, top with remaining cheese. Place pan in oven to warm while cooking the eggs. Fry eggs in olive oil. Place eggs on top of pasta. Garnish with cilantro leaves and sliced jalapeño.