Tamale Pie
Yield: 6-8 servings
Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Tips: To minimize cooking time, make cornmeal crust just as you begin simmering meat filling.
Suggestion: If desired, garnish with a dollop of sour cream, and cilantro. Serve with a salad. Great with homemade tortilla chips for dipping into meat filling.
Though the term "Tamale Pie" brings to mind a dish that might resemble an actual pie, this Tamale Pie recipe (like many others) is actually a casserole. The only time this dish looks anything like a pie is when it first comes out of the oven. Once you begin to dish out the servings, this casserole
takes on a new form, as you can see in the above photo. Don't be alarmed, though - this is the way it is supposed to be! This festive meat filling with crispy chunks of that tasty cornmeal crust will fill your plate with oozy wonderfulness. Tamale Pie is great served with homemade tortilla chips for dipping into the meat. A dollop of sour cream on the side adds excellent additional flavor as well.
The meat filling consists of a tomato and chili-flavored sauce made with sautéed onions, green bell pepper and garlic. Corn kernels are added and the meat filling is poured over a cornmeal crust flavored with butter and Parmesan cheese. More of that cornmeal crust is added by spoonfuls over the top of the casserole, then a healthy dose of Parmesan is sprinkled over that. After cooked, this casserole dish is rich with a tomato-chili color and the cornmeal crust topping bits have turned crispy and golde
The meat filling consists of a tomato and chili-flavored sauce made with sautéed onions, green bell pepper and garlic. Corn kernels are added and the meat filling is poured over a cornmeal crust flavored with butter and Parmesan cheese. More of that cornmeal crust is added by spoonfuls over the top of the casserole, then a healthy dose of Parmesan is sprinkled over that. After cooked, this casserole dish is rich with a tomato-chili color and the cornmeal crust topping bits have turned crispy and golde
Recipe▼
Ingredients
- Pie Filling
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2 e-oz. cans tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup dry red wine
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder (1 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons)
- 1 11 or 12 oz. can whole kernel corn (white or yellow), drained
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- Cornmeal Crust (recipe follows)
- Cornmeal Crust
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups cold water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Pie Filling
Heat oil in a large skillet. When oil is hot, add onion, green pepper and garlic and cook until tender but not browned. Add beef and cook until all pink color is gone, crumbling into pieces as it cooks. Drain off excess fat from skillet, then add tomato sauce, wine, salt, pepper and chili powder. Mix well. Heat to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add corn and bring to a boil again.
Line a large casserole dish with about half of the cornmeal dough. Stir another 1/2 cup of the cornmeal dough into the meat sauce, stirring to thoroughly combine. Scoop or pour meat sauce into the casserole dish over the cornmeal dough. Scatter spoonfuls of the remaining cornmeal dough over the entire top of the meat filling. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle Parmesan cheese over entire top, then return to oven and bake for 15 minutes longer.
Cornmeal Crust (Note: Make this cornmeal crust while meat filling begins its 20-minute simmering.) In a medium saucepan, whisk together water, cornmeal and salt. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring often. Cook and stir on medium-high until mixture is thickened to thin gruel (or oatmeal) consistency. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in butter and cheese and remove from heat.
Heat oil in a large skillet. When oil is hot, add onion, green pepper and garlic and cook until tender but not browned. Add beef and cook until all pink color is gone, crumbling into pieces as it cooks. Drain off excess fat from skillet, then add tomato sauce, wine, salt, pepper and chili powder. Mix well. Heat to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add corn and bring to a boil again.
Line a large casserole dish with about half of the cornmeal dough. Stir another 1/2 cup of the cornmeal dough into the meat sauce, stirring to thoroughly combine. Scoop or pour meat sauce into the casserole dish over the cornmeal dough. Scatter spoonfuls of the remaining cornmeal dough over the entire top of the meat filling. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle Parmesan cheese over entire top, then return to oven and bake for 15 minutes longer.
Cornmeal Crust (Note: Make this cornmeal crust while meat filling begins its 20-minute simmering.) In a medium saucepan, whisk together water, cornmeal and salt. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring often. Cook and stir on medium-high until mixture is thickened to thin gruel (or oatmeal) consistency. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in butter and cheese and remove from heat.
