Sopa Seca (Mexican Noodle Casserole)

By Chef Diana Kennedy, whose cookbooks, to me, rank up there with Rick Bayless. Saveur magazine recommends serving this with either a salad or some pickled chiles/jalapenos

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup olive oil, with amounts more for oiling
• 8  ounces  fideos or 8  ounces  vermicelli, broken into small pieces
• 4  canned chipotle chiles con adobo sauce, minced
• 4  garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (15 ounce) can  crushed tomatoes with juice
• 1⁄2 small  white onion, coarsely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup chicken broth or 1⁄2 cup  chicken stock
•  unrefined sea  salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1  cup  crumbled Cotija cheese
• 3⁄4 cup  crema or 3⁄4 cup sour cream
• 2  tablespoons  minced fresh cilantro
•  aluminum foil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.
2. Oil an 8x8 glass baking dish and set aside.
3. Heat remaining oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
4. Add the pasta and stir until lightly browned (like browning the vermicelli in Rice a Roni); set vermicelli aside on paper towels to drain.
5. Puree chipotles, garlic, tomatoes and onion in a food processor until smooth.
6. Reheat skillet and cook tomato mixture, stirring until the liquid evaporates, 18 minutes or so.
7. Add the chicken stock and vermicelli to the skillet, and season with salt and pepper (don't forget to taste and adjust if necessary for your own tastes!).
8. Pour it all into the oiled baking dish, and bake, covered with aluminum foil, until pasta is tender and sauce absorbed, about 10 minutes or so.
9. Serve sprinkled with cheese, drizzled with crema and garnished with cilantro.