Black Bean and Corn Tortilla Pie
A little messy I know, but so, so FUN!! Fun to make, fun to eat, fun to even just think about! If you're looking for an easy vegetarian entree to make for Cinco de Mayo (heads up, it's in 2 days from now) look no further! This Black Bean and Tortilla Pie is a real crowd pleaser and have I mentioned, a lot of fun?!!
Do you go all out for Cinco de mayo? We're not Mexican but it's certainly a good excuse to drink a margarita and kick back with a bowl of salsa and chips (more on that in a couple of days). I've seen recipes for this kind of layered cheesy, bean and corn filled pie around for ages--sometimes it's referred to as Mexican lasagne, but for some reason or another (one of our kids wouldn't even look at beans, it seemed unhealthy which is silly cause it's filled with beans and corn or just my own stupid skeptical nature telling me that pies for dinner, other than pizza, couldn't possibly result in happiness), have managed to talk myself out of making it for years. Now I have to reign myself in not to make it every week!!
It's not only that it's so utterly delicious but putting it together is like working on a little art project--something I rarely get to do. You start by placing a springform pan on top of each of the tortillas and cutting around the edges to trim them so that they fit easily into the pan.
Then you make a delectable onion, jalapeno, garlic, bean and corn mixture and layer it along with shredded cheddar cheese over successive layers of flour tortillas in a springform pan. Unfortunately I was having so much fun with the layering that I forgot to take any pictures of the process, but you get the gist!
Next you bake it for about 25 minutes until the filling is hot and the cheese gets all melted and gooey inside and crusty on top. I topped it with some additional scallions for decoration. Even more fun!!
Slicing it and keeping it neat and together is a bit of challenge, but who cares?!! One bite and no one's thinking about looks anymore! Thank goodness the holiday's just two days away and I can find another excuse to make this again!!
Black Bean and Corn Tortilla Pie
Makes 6 generous servings
You will need a springform pan for this, preferably 8 or 9 inches
Prep Time: 25 minutes; Bake Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 4-5 large flour tortillas (you want 1-inch larger than your springform pan)
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 large onion, chopped finely
- 1/2 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 10 ounces frozen corn, thawed
- 5 scallions, thinly sliced, divided
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (about 3 cups)--you can use reduced fat if you like
- Salsa, hot sauce and sour cream to serve on the side (optional)
The Recipe
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place each tortilla separately under a springform pan (I used a 9-inch pan and 10-inch tortillas) and use a sharp knife to trim the tortilla to fit the pan, using the pan as a guide. Set them aside.
2. Place the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeno and garlic. Season with a bit of salt and pepper and cook, stirring every now and then, for about 6-7 minutes, until softened.
3. Add the beans and water and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the liquid has almost evaporated. Stir in the corn and all but a small handful of the scallions and remove from the heat.
4. Place one trimmed tortilla in the springform pan. Layer with about 1/4 of the bean mixture and about 1/2 cup of the cheese. Continue to make more layers of tortillas and beans and cheese, placing about 1 cup of the cheese on the top. Bake the pie on a tray in the oven to catch any drips (believe me, take my advice) for about 25 minutes, until the cheese is all gooey and melted and the pie is heated through. Sprinkle the top with the remaining scallions, remove the sides and use a sharp serrated knife to cut it into wedges. Don't worry about ingredients that spill out--the more, the merrier! Serve immediately with salsa, hot sauce and sour cream on the sides.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart. I omitted the cumin, cut the jalapeno in half and subbed water in for 12 ounces of beer. I also upped the scallions and cheese.
