Tamale Pie

By Cathe Olson

You’ll be amazed how easy it is to make this impressive and delicious dinner. It's a great dish for potlucks and to take to new moms.

Filling:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 cups cooked pinto, kidney, or black beans, drained

1 cup diced tomatoes with juice (canned is fine)

1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Crust:

1 1/2 cups cornmeal

3 1/4 cups water

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

Topping:

1/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F. Oil an 8-inch square baking pan.
Heat oil in medium-size pan. Stir in onion and saut about 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Saut 5 minutes more. Add beans, tomatoes, and corn. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Let mixture simmer uncovered while you prepare crust.
Whisk together cornmeal and water in medium-size pan. Cook over medium heat until mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat to low. Stir in sea salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 10 minutes). Spread 2/3 of the mixture over bottom and up sides of the prepared baking pan. Pour bean mixture into crust. Top with remaining cornmeal mixture. (Don’t worry if beans are not covered completely.) Sprinkle with shredded cheese if desired. Bake 30 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before cutting.

Makes 6 servings