Tamale Pie

This dish is way more Tex than Mex, but it was a lovely way to use up some leftover carnitas. I threw this together in a hurry, so some of the measurements may be approximations ;).

1 1/2 pounds carnitas
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour (I used Pamela’s Gluten-Free Baking Mix)
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (4-ounce) can green chillies
1 big handful whole black olives, chopped
2-3 big handfuls shredded “Mexican” cheese (any Colby-Jack blend works fine)
1 handful of pickled jalapeño slices
Glug or 2 of salsa

Pre-heat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 baking pan.

In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, chili powder, and cumin. Stir to combine. Add the milk, oil, egg, green chillies, and a handful of the cheese. Stir to combine.

Pour half of the batter into the baking pan. Distribute the carnitas in a more or less even layer on top of the batter.

Cover carnitas with the remaining batter. Top with olives, jalapeños, salsa, and the rest of the cheese.

Bake about 45 minutes,  or until the cheese is golden brown and wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

I served it up with some sliced tomatoes and guacamole, and topped it with a little crema and Valentina Salsa Picante.

The Verdict: ★★★★☆
I had zero aspirations for this recipe, other than to use up the tasty carnitas and get a quick dinner on the table. This dish delivered in a hugely non-authentic way. The fat in the carnitas really crisped up the cornbread. Almost like Yorkshire pudding.

Hmmmm, Mexican Yorkshire pudding?!?

3 thoughts on “Tamale Pie”

    1. I’m sure it would. My original goal had been the swipe adapt your tamale cake appetizer, but I was out of masa flour.

Comments are closed.

%d bloggers like this: