Name: Luis Armando’s Pasta in Creamy Sauce (Macarrones Estilo Luis Armando)
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 4 large ripe tomatoes or 10 to 12 large ripe plum tomatoes (about 2 pounds), coarsely chopped; 1 cup shredded Oaxacan string cheese or medium-sharp white cheddar; 1 pound rigatoni or elbow macaroni; 2 tablespoons olive oil; Freshly ground black pepper; ½ cup Mexican crema or heavy cream; ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste; One 3-ounce package cream cheese, cut into bits; 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped; 10 sprigs fresh cilantro or Italian parsley; 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

Preparation info

4
servings

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Food and Life of Oaxaca

By Zarela Martínez

Published 1997

About

Italian pasta is variously called “macarrones” or “espaguetti” in Mexico and cooked in ways that an Italian might not recognize! Creamy macaroni dishes with cheese are very popular. This version comes from Luis Armando Hernández in Ixtepec. He and his mother, Venancia Toledo Hernández, serve it on all their special occasions. They make it with cream cheese (queso crema) and Oaxacan string cheese, which is a wonderful melting cheese.