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Espagueti Verde (Creamy Roasted Poblano Pasta)
At weddings, baptisms and other special occasions across Mexico, pots of spaghetti coated in creamy green sauce sit on most every banquet table. Smoky with charred peppers and tangy with crema, it’s the dish everyone loves. Throughout the country, the herbs in it change — there may be epazote, cilantro or parsley — but there are always roasted poblanos. Traditionally, the chiles are pureed into a sauce to coat the pasta, but you can skip that step to highlight even more of their flavor and texture. Cream, Mexican crema and queso fresco temper any lingering heat and round out the whole dish to a tangy finish.
Prep
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Cook
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Total
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Serves
4 to 6 servings
Instructions
- 01
Using tongs, set each poblano directly on the grates of a gas stovetop over a medium flame. Cook, turning occasionally, until skin is blackened on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. (Alternatively, broil the poblanos on a baking sheet about 5 inches from the heat until charred, 6 to 8 minutes per side.)
- 02
Place charred poblanos in a large bowl; cover with a plate and let steam for 10 minutes to loosen skins. On a work surface, run the dull side of a paring knife across each chile to scrape off the blackened, papery skin. (It’s OK if a bit of the skin remains.) Discard skins, stems and seeds. Return poblanos to the bowl and rinse under cold running water. Any remaining seeds and papery skins will float to the surface. (This rinsing step, while unusual for charred chiles, helps remove almost all the bitter skin that would stand out against the creamy sauce.) Drain chiles well. Cut poblanos in half, then slice lengthwise into very thin strips.
- 03
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low. Add poblanos and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until poblanos soften and break down, about 15 minutes. Add chopped parsley, crema and heavy cream, and stir to combine. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm if needed.
- 04
While poblanos cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Add the pasta, give it a stir and cook until just al dente. Just before draining, reserve 1 cup pasta water.
- 05
Drain the pasta and transfer it to the Dutch oven with the poblano mixture, along with ½ cup reserved pasta water. Toss until the sauce coats the pasta evenly. If needed, add a little more of the pasta water.
- 06
Squeeze in juice from ½ lemon, taste and squeeze in the juice of the other half, if you like. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss one more time before serving, coating pasta with the sauce at the bottom of the pot. Serve topped with queso fresco and parsley leaves.
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