Angel Hair Pasta with Ancho Chili Sauce

Ari Rapkin
Recipe from Sally McKee, thanks to Matt Conway
You can skip the avocados if you like, but the lime juice really makes the dish.

4 Ancho chilies, stemmed, seeds and veins removed
2 1/2 c chicken stock
2 whole cloves
1 garlic clove (or more... 4 is recommended)
1/8 tsp cumin seeds
salt
1/4 c olive oil
4 oz fresh angel hair pasta in nests. Must use the fresh stuff. Dry pasta nests won't work.
1/3 c grated cheese (Romano is good, goat Gouda is even better)
avocados
limes

In a non-reactive saucepan, cover the chilies with water and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Let them soak for 5 more minutes, then drain.

Put 1/4 c chicken stock into a blender/food processor with cloves, garlic, cumin. Blend. Season with salt. Add 1 c more stock and 1 chili at a time, blending to a smooth consistency before adding the next. Do this to all the chilies.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the pasta, keeping the nests intact, and fry it (very strange, yes), turning the nests until they reach a deep golden color. This should only take about 3 minutes. Ours turned a nice crusty brown. Be sure to keep the nests intact. Strain off the oil.

Add the sauce to the pasta. Turn up to moderate heat for about 3 minutes, scraping the bottom to keep the pasta from sticking. Cover. Cook on low, adding the remaining stock a little at a time to prevent sticking. Cook another 5-8 minutes.

Serve one nest per person with wedges of avocado and a wedge of lime. Squeeze a little bit of the lime and some cheese over the nest and eat.

From the Dinner Co-op