TAMALE PIE
Filling:
1 lb lean ground beef
1 mediu onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes or 1 cup canned crushed
1/2 cup unsalted beef stock
1/4 cup raisins, optional
1/4 cup sliced pimiento-stuffed green olives
1 TBL chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin (I use more)
1/2 tsp salt + more to taste
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Topping:
2 cup unsalted beef stock
1 cup masa harina
1/2 tsp chili pwder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, separated
1/2 cup (2 oz) grated mild or medium cheddar

Crema, optional

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a medium baking dish. In a large skillet, saute the beef, onion, bell pepper & garlic until the meat is lightly browned. Pour off any accumulated fat. Mix in the corn, tomatoes, stock, raisins & olives. Stir in the chili powder, the cumin, 1/2 tsp salt & oregano. Cook uncovered over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. At the end of cooking the mixture should no longer be soupy. Taste & add more salt if needed. If it seems too moist, raise the heat & cook another minute or 2.
while the filling cooks, prepare the dough topping; In a heavy saucepan bring the stock to a boil & gradually add in the masa harina, stirring constantly. Sprinkle in the chili powder & salt. Reduce the heat & continue stirring until the masa is good & stiff, 8-0 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk & stir it into the masa. In another small bowl, beat the egg white until stiff & fold it into the masa.
Spoon the filling into the baking dish. Spread the batter over it. Top w/the grated cheese. Bake the pie 30 minutes or until it is slightly puffed & lightly browned.
Spoon a TBL or 2 of crema over each serving.~~TX Home Cooking

CREMA
1 cup whipping cream, preferably not ultra-pasteurized
2 TBL buttermilk

In a small glass bowl, combine both ingredients. Cover the bowl loosely & let stand at room temperature for 8-24 hours until the cream is thickened & tart. Stir it well, cover tightly & refrigerate. Use as needed. Will keep up to 10 days.~~

Mango, thanks for asking about tamale pie. I love to eat tamales but have never gotten inspired enough to actually make them. I've often wondered about using masa instead of cornmeal in tamale pie recipes, thinking it would more closely resemble real tamales.

Ginger, your recipe, especially the crust, sounds perfect for someone like me, who wants the flavor without the labor intensive wrapping & steaming. I often make chili (sometimes green chili) flavored braised beef or pork roasts. Do you think there would be any reason why I couldn't use those meats for fillings?

I don't see why not.

Tamale Pie is my DH's favorite. This is my MIL's recipe, and family legend is that she got it from a Hispanic friend, although I don't know how authentic it is (or if tamale pie is really an authentic Mexican dish). You can use ground beef as the recipe calls for, but I've also used leftover shredded chicken or pork with tasty results.

Becky

* Exported from MasterCook *

Tamale Pie

Recipe By :Marilyn Chatham
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 pound ground beef
1 can corn -- undrained
1 can whole olives -- drained
3/4 cup onion -- chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 can chili Las Palmas (large size)
1 dozen corn tortillas
3 tablespoons cornmeal (I omit)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
garlic powder (I use fresh)
salt
pepper

Brown meat, onion and spices - add cornmeal and chile powder. Add corn and liquid, cheese and olives. In 9 x 13 pan, alternate mixture with corn tortillas - cover all with sauce. Cover and bake 30 minutes at 350F. Take out, mix well until all tortillas are in pieces. Return to oven and bake 30 minutes more, covered.

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