Noodle Love: Rotelle

I love noodles. I recently bought an unusual selection of them and have assigned myself the challenge of finding the perfect dish to best complement each noodle’s shape. The easiest one, by far, is rotelle, or “wagon wheels.” But I still have some bucatini, capricci, and spugnole waiting for me in the pantry. I’m open to suggestions.

Anyway, to me, rotelle just screams “chili mac.” So that’s what I made. I only used 1/2 a pound, so I’m looking forward to finding a way to use the second half of the box, but I doubt I’ll top chili mac. I mean, come on—what better way is there to use this noodle?

The recipe’s pretty simple. In fact, there is no recipe. I just thought about what I’d like to have and I added it to the mix. You could make this lots of different ways, but here’s what I did.

Chili Mac

1/2 lb. rotelle
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup frozen corn
1 cup salsa
1 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, plus extra for sprinkling on top
Sliced scallions, sour cream, and hot sauce, for serving

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water for 6 to 7 minutes or until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a deep pan over medium-high heat. Add turkey, onions, jalapeño, and garlic. Break up turkey with a wooden spoon and stir frequently. When turkey is cooked through, add chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir in beans, corn, and salsa. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until mixture is heated through.

Add Monterey and cheddar cheeses. Stir until melted. Add cooked pasta to turkey mixture and, very gently, stir to combine. Taste, adjust seasoning as needed, and serve with extra cheese and scallions.