- Salt and pepper
- 1 pound penne rigate or whole grain penne rigate pasta
- 1 tablespoon EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 pound ground beef sirloin
- 1 large onion, chopped, divided
- 1 large jalapeo halved, seeded and thinly sliced crosswise
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons chili powder, about 2 palmfuls
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander, about a palmful
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin, about 1/2 palmful
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 12-ounce bottle beer or 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack or any Mexican semisoft cheese
- 2 small plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 1/4 head iceberg lettuce or 1/2 small heart romaine lettuce, chopped
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and return to the pot.
While the pasta is working, in a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 1 turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add three-quarters of the onion, the jalapeo, garlic, chili powder, coriander and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onion is softened, 6-7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cook for 1 minute then stir in the beer.
Add the sauce to the pasta and toss. Spoon into a serving dish, top with the cheese and tent with foil to melt the cheese, about 1 minute. Top with the remaining onion, the tomatoes and lettuce just like tacos!
