Comfort Food

Carnitas Tamale Pie

Carnitas Tamale Pie
Making tamales takes time and sometimes we just don’t have the time. With this Carnitas tamale pie recipe, you only need about an hour of that precious time and we have the perfect comfort food for dinner made with leftover carnitas or you can make fresh the night before.
Ingredients:
  • 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow corn meal
  • 4 tbsp. sugar
  • 2 tbsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 4 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 2 7 oz can diced green chiles fire roasted
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ½ can cream corn
  • 4 cups carnitas
  • 2 cups enchilada sauce
  • 2 cups shredded white cheese Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, etc.
Instructions:
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Whisk the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. Stir in the oil until the mixture makes soft crumbs. Whisk in the milk and egg. Add the cream corn and green chiles and stir until just combined.
  3. Bake for 25 minutes or until set. Since it’s a tamale-like base, it won’t be completely dry like a cornbread. It’s supposed to be just a little mushy.
  4. Poke holes in the crust with a fork. Pour the enchilada sauce over the crust. Squeeze or drain excess moisture out of the carnitas and arrange on top of the crust. Sprinkle with cheese.
  5. Reduce oven temperature to 350. Cover with foil, return to oven, and bake for 20 minutes.
  6. When everything is heated through, remove foil and let bake for another 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
  7. Top with chopped cilantro, allow to cool for 5 minutes. Serve and Enjoy!