ROSSEJAT DE FIDEOS (SPANISH TOASTED NOODLES)
4 servings
Similar to paella, but made with short, toasted noodles instead of rice. This version is a simple one, but you can dress it up by adding chorizo, a variety of fish and shellfish, chicken thighs, or even rabbit. Flavorful, homemade stock will make this dish truly excellent. To break pasta into small pieces without making a mess, hold them inside a paper bag as you break them apart.
Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Heat in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat:
- ¼ cup olive oil
Add and cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted and deep brown:
- 12 ounces dried fideos or angel hair pasta broken into 1-inch pieces
Transfer the pasta to the lined baking sheet. Return the pan to the heat and add:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
When hot, add and cook, stirring, until softened:
- ½ medium onion, diced
- ½ red bell pepper, diced
Add and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute:
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Stir in the toasted noodles along with:
- 3 cups chicken stock, shrimp stock, or clam juice
- 2 Roma or plum tomatoes, grated on the large holes of a box grater
Bring to a simmer and cook undisturbed and uncovered until most of the stock is absorbed by the noodles, 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste with:
- Salt
If all the liquid has been absorbed, add a splash of stock or water to the pan. Place on top of the pasta:
- 12 ounces large shrimp (U30), peeled and deveined, or 1 pound mussels or clams in the shell, or a combination
Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the shrimp are cooked through or the mussels or clams have opened, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with:
- Chopped parsley
- Aïoli