Chicasquil (tree Spinach) Casserole With Noodles (or Chaya)

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 30 large leaves greens, chopped and boiled (chicasquil, chaya or other green leaf)
• 1 1/2 cups egg noodles boiled in the leaf water
• 1 lb ground meat, browned but not drained
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 12 ounces tomatoes, diced (canned tomato and chilies ok)
• 2 ounces green chilies, diced
• 4 ounces tomato sauce
• garlic, minced to taste
• salt

Recipe

• 1 sautee onions and garlic, then add and brown meat. set on warmer. cut chicasquil leaves into about 1" pieces or chop, discarding the stems and heavy veins, then boil *15* minutes, stirring frequently. drain and reserve water.
• 2 cook noodles in chaya water and drain. add tomato, chilies and chaya leaves to onion/meat mixture - heat and simmer 10 minutes. stir in egg noodles and simmer 3 minutes more. serves 4.
• 3 note: please observe 15 minute boiling time. this allows all the hydrocyanic acid to be driven off as steam. a 1 minute cooking time, seen elsewhere in this blog, is insufficient to accomplish this - undercooked chicasquil or chaya may cause nausea and vomiting.