Sopa Seca

This was a great mexican pasta meal! I have never had one before and I loved it! :)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

12 ounces fideos (vermicelli) we couldn't find this so we used cappellini

1 medium onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican - I didn't have it so I used regular oregano

1 teaspoon New Mexican chile powder - I used regular chili powder

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 cups canned whole peeled tomatoes

1 to 2 chiptoles in adobo sauce, minced

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups shredded smoked turkey

1 cup coarsely shredded Cheddar cheese

Mexican crema or sour cream thinned with a bit of milk (optional) - we didn't use it

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Brush a 9-inch square baking dish with oil. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fideos and cook, turning them with tongs, until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bundles and any broken pieces to a plate.

Add the onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, coriander, oregano, chile powder, and bay leaf and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Crush the tomatoes over the pot with your hand and add them to the pot along with their juices. Add the chipotles, increase the heat to high, and cooke until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, the toasted fideos, the salt, and pepper to taste. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer gently, uncovered, breaking up the fideos with a spoon, about about 5 minutes. Stir in the turkey.

Remove the bay leaf. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, sprinkle the grated cheese over the top, and cover loosely with foil. Bake until the cheese melts and the casserole is hot through and through, about 20 minutes. If desired, serve with some crema drizzled over the top.

Enjoy!