How to Make A Good Tex-Mex Tamale Pie

Tamale Pie is a wonderful and inexpensive dinner dish for your family. Below is my recipe on how to make a very good and tasty Tex-Mex Tamale Pie.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Ingredients for Tex-Mex Tamale Pie
   
   1 1/2 pound ground chuck
   1 onion, chopped
   1 large green bell pepper, diced
   1 15 ounces can of tomato sauce
   1 28 ounces can of diced tomatoes
   2 cups of frozen whole kernel corn
   1 4 ounces can of sliced ripe olives
   1 4 ounce can of Ortega chilies
   2 cloves garlic, minced
   1 tablespoon sugar
   1/2 teaspoon salt
   1 tablespoon of chili powder
   2 teaspoons of ground cumin
   1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
   1/8 teaspoon of ground black pepper
   1 cup grated medium cheddar cheese.
   
   Crust:
   
   3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
   1/2 teaspoon salt
   2 cups cold water
   1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
   1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin
   1 tablespoon butter
   1/2 cup grated medium cheddar cheese for topping

2. In a skillet brown the ground beef with the onions and green bell pepper. Once browned, drain the grease from the pan and add tomato sauce, tomatoes, corn, olives, Ortega chiles, garlic, sugar, salt, chili powder, cumin, cayenne and black pepper. Heat it until it boils and then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, until thickened. Add the cheese and stir until the cheese is melted. Set filling aside.

3. In a saucepan add the cornmeal, salt, water, chili powder and cumin. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until it becomes thick. Once its thick stir in the butter

4. 
   tamale pie

   Spread half of the mixture into the bottom of a 12 x 8 baking dish. Next add the filling that had been set aside. Lastly, spoon the remaining amount of the corn meal mixture over the top of the filling. Bake at 375 degrees F. for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes open the oven and then quickly sprinkle the 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese over the top of the crust and then bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Tips & Warnings

• If you would like this recipe spicier then replace the Ortega chiles with a 4 ounce can of diced jalapenos. If you do this, then I suggest that you eliminate the cayenne so that the tamale pie isn‘t overly hot.

[nanamusicgirl]

on 9/9/2009 Love Mexican////texmex is great!!! 5 stars.

[wesellforu]

on 9/9/2009 yummy! I will have to try this one.