I recently was able to experience some homemade tamales now that we live in the South. When I heard that they were just corn mush surrounding a meat filling I thought they might not be all that exciting, but I was wrong.
Those authentic homemade tamales are full of flavor, spice, and a lovely sweet corn contrast. But, they are also a lot of work. So I devised a recipe that brings together the delicious authentic flavor of tamales with the ease of a casserole. It is not quite as authentic or exciting as the real deal but it tastes just as good.
Tamale Pie (that tastes like tamales)
Source: plantoeat.com
Course: Allergen-Friendly Main (Chicken)
Serves:
Ingredients
- 2 cups masa
- 1-1⁄2 teaspoons baking power
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 cup cold lard or butter, cut into pieces
- 2 cups stock or water
- 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken or turkey
- 2 cups broth
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 1 6 oz can tomato paste
- 1⁄4 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- sea salt to taste
Directions
- Mix dry ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Cut in butter or lard.
- Add water and mix until a wet dough is formed. Set aside while you prepare the filling.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Saute onions in 2-3 Tablespoons of bacon grease
- Add paprika, oregano, cumin, garlic, vinegar, and 1/2 cup of broth
- Simmer for 5 minutes
- Add rest of ingredients and simmer until thick and yummy
- Transfer filling to a 13″ x 9″ pan. Top with masa topping, spreading it evenly out on top of the filling. Don’t worry if the filling comes through the topping a bit.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown around edges and firm in the center.
- We like our served with salsa, cheese, and sour cream on top of a bed of lettuce.