Puer's Mexican Goulash (aka Macaroni Español)

Ingredients

• 16 oz elbow macaroni
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 32 oz tomato sauce
• 16 oz petite cut diced tomatos
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons Worchestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground oregano
• ½ teaspoon minced onions
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
• ¼ teaspoon ground mustard

Instructions

Heat the oil over medium heat in a dutch oven. Add the macaroni and stir constantly until it is dark brown (but not black). Carefully add tomato sauce, as the hot oil will cause it to splatter. Add spices and simmer on low heat until macaroni is tender. Add water as needed to ensure that the macaroni does not dry out. When done, the liquid should have completely evaporated or been soaked up by the macaroni.

Notes

The amount of the vegetable oil (my family always uses canola, but I've started using olive oil, just because I use it for everything else anyway) is approximate. You need enough to thoroughly coat the macaroni, so that it cooks evenly. Also be aware that different types of pasta need different amounts of oil because of their varying shape.

You can make a half recipe in a large skillet instead of a dutch oven.

Warning: seasonings listed are approximate. I haven't had a chance to write down the exact quantities. Usually I just add seasonings until it tastes right, but it should be approximately correct. This is the only recipe where I use powdered oregano, because oregano should be the strongest flavour here. I don't know how this would translate for regular (not ground) dried oregano, but it would definitely be a lot.

This makes a lot of food. When I was growing up, we often made ½ or ¼ as much, so that we wouldn't end up with so much that we'd have to eat it for a couple days, but this is how I make it now.

I've always used Hunts tomato sauce in this recipe. I tried a few others at times, but I found it difficult to balance the seasonings for some reason.