CHILE PASILLA CHILAQUILES

Our chile pasilla adds the perfect amount of smoke and sublet heat to this chilaquiles recipe.  It is the perfect weekend breakfast for the family.  Serve with fried eggs, or crumbled fresh cheese on top.  The recipe calls for a serrano pepper to up the heat, but feel free to omit if are looking for a milder sauce. 

INGREDIENTS:

For the sauce:

2 dried chile pasillas, stems removed

1 serrano chile (optional)

1/4 cup white onion, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 sprig of epazote or parsley

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

For the Totopos:

24 6in tortillas, cut in 6’s

1/2 cup frying oil

Salt

Place the chiles in a saucepan filled with 2cups of water under high heat and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat, cover and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

While your chiles are softening, make your totops by frying your tortillas in a large frying pan.  Fry a few at a time so not to crowd your pan.  Drain them on a paper towel lined surface and set aside.  Salt them while hot.    

Once chiles have softened, remove the chiles and reserve 1/2 cup of soaking liquid.

Blend the softened pasilla chiles, reserved soaking liquid,  serrano pepper, onion, garlic cloves, and epazote or parsley.   Blend until smooth

In a large frying pan, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil under medium heat.  Carefully add the blended chile mixture (the hot oil will react to the sauce). Stir until sauce begins to boil up and thicken to the consistency of heavy cream.  Salt to taste

Slowly, add in the warm totopos and mix around until the tortilla chips are completely covered in the sauce.

Top with your favorite fixings like queso fresco, cashew cheese,  chopped parsley, onions,  fried steak or over easy eggs.