Black Bean Tamale Pie

I am never buying a 5 lb bag of masa harina again.  That is, if I ever run out of this one.  I like pupusas, but I don't make them every month.  And tamales are a project, even though you end up with weeks worth of them at the end.

But a tamale pie is simple.  I made a cornmeal-based one once that I liked.  This time, I thought I'd tackle one that started with a cup of masa flour.

I found a recipe for a vegetarian tamale pie with masa, but I wasn't thrilled with the filling.  Celery?  And I had finally gotten rid of all the corn.  So I'm going off on my own tangent for the filling.  As can you.  This cleared out my veggie drawer and used some tomatillo salsa because that's what I have and like.  And because I forgot to buy cilantro.  Feel free to change up ingredients.  I didn't make this spicy at all, but you could throw in jalapeños or a hot salsa.

As an aside, the only reason I skipped olives for my version is because I don't remember them being so expensive.  I need an olive tree.  The tiny can of basic, sliced black olives was $2.  I feel like they were under $1.50 the last time I bought some.  That felt like too much for a garnish.  I'll splurge on Kalamatas for that price, but not California ones.

Crust & Topping

*1 C masa harina
1 tsp kosher salt
*1/2 tsp chili powder
1 Tb olive oil
4 C water

1. Stir together the crust ingredients in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a low boil over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened.  It will be the consistency of warm polenta.

2.  Spread half of mixture in the bottom of an 8"x8" casserole and allow to set 5 minutes.  You actually do need to let it firm up.  I didn't, and the filling sank in quite a bit.  Keep the remainder warm, like over a bowl of simmering water or in a low oven.

Filling

*1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed, or 2/3 C dry, soaked and cooked
1 Tb olive oil
*1/2 diced onion (yellow or red)
*1 clove garlic, minced
*1 Roma tomato, diced, or 1/2 C red salsa
*1/2 C salsa verde
1/2 tsp cumin
salt to taste
*1 C shredded Cheddar or "Mexican" cheese blend
*1 green onion, chopped

1.  Start preheating oven to 375º.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium.  Cook onion until softened, 5 minutes.

2.  Add beans, tomato, salsa, garlic, and cumin and simmer until hot.  Taste and add salt.  Let most of the moisture boil off.  Again, I skipped that step, and it came up through the top crust a little.

3.  Sprinkle a light layer of cheese on the bottom crust of the casserole and sprinkle with some of the green onion.  Top with filling.  Stir remaining cheese into the other half of the masa, then pour on top.  Spread out masa to cover, including the edges.  Top with remaining green onion.

4.  Bake until masa is set, about 45 minutes.  Allow to cool and firm up for at least 30 minutes, or you end up with tamale soup.  If I had known that, I would have made it in the morning and reheated it later.  Oh, and the soup will burn your mouth.  But it's really good.  Garnish with your favorite things like sour cream, avocado, cilantro, and/or limes.

tamale soup

Difficulty rating  :)