An Italian-Peruvian classic that turned tomato sauce into unmistakable home cooking. The pasta takes on a full-bodied sauce of carrot, ají panca, mushrooms, and bay leaf while the chicken finishes tender in the same pot. Once the oregano starts perfuming the kitchen, waiting for everyone to sit down becomes the hardest part.
Turn what you find into an experience you can actually bring to your kitchen.
Season the chicken pieces with part of the salt, black pepper, and cumin. Cover the dried mushrooms with a small portion of the hot water and soak for 10 minutes, until flexible. Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes and carrot into chunks and blend them together until smooth; keep the mushrooms and their soaking liquid as well.
Heat half of the oil in a wide pot and brown the chicken for 7 to 8 minutes, turning until the skin and edges are deeply golden. Remove it before it cooks through; the browned bits left in the pot will become part of the sauce.
In the same pot, add the remaining oil and cook the onion for 5 to 6 minutes, until translucent and lightly browned at the edges. Add the garlic and ají panca and cook for 2 minutes; then pour in the blended tomato and carrot, the mushrooms with their soaking liquid, the bay leaf, oregano, and another portion of the salt. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the raw flavor is gone and the sauce is thick, glossy, and deep red.
Return the chicken to the pot, add another small portion of the water and another portion of the salt, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat for 18 to 20 minutes. It is ready when the meat is tender, there are no pink areas near the bone, and the sauce once again coats the spoon without looking watery.
While the chicken finishes, bring the remaining water to a boil in another pot with the remaining salt and cook the pasta for 8 to 10 minutes, or until firm in the center and about one minute shy of the package directions. Before draining, reserve a little of the cooking water; then drain the pasta without rinsing.
Remove the chicken pieces and bay leaf from the sauce. Add the pasta and a little of the reserved cooking water; toss over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until the red sauce clings to every strand while staying juicy. Serve with a chicken piece on top and finish with all the Parmesan. And that’s it—once the cheese hits the hot sauce, patience is over: get it to the table before the pasta drinks up the juices.
