Caldo de Fideo

Ingredients

 * Large fresh or dried green beans (Called Habas – could substitude Butter Beans)
 * 1 cup chopped white onion
 * 1 and ½ cup chopped carrot
 * ¼ cup chopped salt pork
 * 20 halved New Potatoes
 * 1 cup twistie noodles
 * 1 tablespoon olive oil
 * 2 dried Aji Arequipina or whole dried hot pepper substitute
 * 1 tablespoon salt

Directions

 * 1) Boil potatoes & beans until lightly cooked, separate from cooking water and set aside.
 * 2) Combine, beans, onion, carrot, salt pork, and salt in large soup pot and simmer.
 * 3) In separate frying pan lightly sautee noodle in olive oil until slightly browned in some parts and add to soup pot to simmer. This action enforces a kind of strong al-dente result when the noodles are later boiled. Grind Aji with a bit of tomatoe for moisture into a fine paste and add to soup pot.
 * 4) Simmer in soup pot until pasta is almost cooked, add potatoes and continue to simmer until pasta and potatoes are both cooked.
 * 5) This soup was a wonderful treat in the evening when temperatures plunged and the skies sparkeled in the thin mountain air.
 * 6) I cannot fail to mention that the taste of this soup is aided by being cooked on an open wood flame – the rich smoke combines with the salt pork to produce much of its savoury flavor.