Tamale Pie
Note that this recipe is on the Casseroles & Southern pages, but not the Mexican page. This dish has it’s origin in Texas in the very early 1900’s, but it’s not something you would find in Mexico or in a Mexican restaurant.
This recipe is another great example of comfort food, with a rich, delicious sauce and a corn bread crust.
Tamale Pie
Ingredients
- Filling
- 1 # ground beef or pork sausage
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 large green bell pepper chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 quart or 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 small can of tomato paste.
- 16 ounces whole kernel corn drained
- 4 oz sliced ripe olives
- 4 oz chopped green chilies
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 Tbsp Chili powder or Taco Seasoning
- ½ cup shredded cheese
- Crust
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1-2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk 1/2 cup milk + 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 tsp chili powder or Taco Seasoning
- 2 tablespoon melted butter
- ½ cup grated cheese in the batter
- ½ cup grated cheese for the topping
- Parsley or chives chopped, over the top
- Or you can just use a box of Jiffy Mix corn bread.
Instructions
- Brown the meat in a large skillet over medium high heat – don’t stir fry it, let is sit so that it really browns before flipping it over.
- Add the onions and green pepper when the beef is half done; break up the beef and mix it all through. If there is a lot of fat or liquid, drain well.
- Add the garlic and stir through until fragrant.
- Add the remaining filling ingredients except for the grated cheese.
- Heat to boiling; then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes or until thickened.
- Add the cheese and stir until it is melted. Set the filling aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a bowl, combine all of the cornbread crust ingredients.
- Spread half of the cornmeal mixture into a large sprayed baking dish and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Spoon the ground beef filling over the bottom crust; spoon the remaining cornmeal mixture over the filling and smooth it out.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes.
- Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese and the parsley or chives over the crust about 5 minutes before the casserole is done.
- Serve with sour cream, guacamole, and/or salsa.