Toast dried chillies in a skillet, using a spatula to press them flat, for about 30 seconds until they become aromatic. Put the chillies into a small bowl and cover with hot water for 30 minutes to rehydrate them, stirring them often. Once rehydrated, drain them and discard the water.

In the skillet, roast unpeeled garlic for about 15 minutes until it has softened, turning from time to time.

Line a baking sheet with foil and place your tomatoes onto it. Place beneath a very hot grill to char on both sides, which takes about 6 minutes per side. Once charred, allow the tomatoes to cool and peel, making sure you do not leave behind any juices.

Using either a food processor or blender, blend the charred tomatoes, chillies and garlic until they form a thin puree.

Using a large dutch oven, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat and add the puree, stirring frequently until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

If you want to make your dish meaty, cook chorizo for about 10 minutes, breaking it up as you cook. Drain the cooked chorizo of oil with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Heat the remaining 6 tablespoons of oil in the skillet; you will want it to be hot enough that a noodle will sizzle the moment it touches the oil, but does not brown or burn immediately. Once the oil is hot enough, pour in about 1/3 of the noodles and fry, turning, until both sides are browned. Using a slotted spoon, drain the browned noodles of oil and set them on a piece of paper towel to capture any excess oil. Repeat until all noodles have been cooked.

Bring the tomato puree to a simmer and add in the broth, oregano and pepper. Core and chop the remaining tomatoes and add them in. Bring everything to simmer until the mixture begins to thicken and has a tomato sauce appearance. Taste and season with salt and pepper as necessary.

Add in the noodles and separate as they cook in the sauce. Add the chorizo or zucchini, if using. Simmer the sauce for about two minutes, until the noodles are tender. If you are using cream, pour it in and bring the heat to medium high so that it boils and thickens. Taste and season with salt and pepper as necessary.

Stir in about half of the cheese before transferring to a serving bowl. Top the soup with chopped cilantro and the reminder of the cheese.