Tamale Pie

I had the most flavourless Shepherd's pie on Friday night. So dull in fact, that it shook my confidence in all things pie-related. I need to restore my faith in meat and dough. I can't say Anglo-meat pies are known for their flavour, but they do have some dimension to them. That said, I figured a Mexican twist would truly liven this classic, so I jumped on this recipe as soon as I saw it.  That and our afternoon plans consist of climbing so I wanted dinner to be ready upon our return. 

http://cookingbride.com

Serves 6

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• Tamale Dough
• 
  
• 2 cups instant Masa Harina (Mexican corn flour!)
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/4 t salt
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
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• Filling
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• 2 T vegetable oil
• 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 (10 oz.) can red enchilada sauce
• 2 T cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 t chili powder
• 3/4 t ground cumin
• 1 cup beef broth

Whisk together masa, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add broth and oil and stir to combine until dough becomes soft paste. Cover bowl let dough rest for at least 15 minutes at room temperature.

In the meantime, preheat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add ground beef and onions. Cook until meat is no longer pink, being sure to break up any large chunks. Add minced garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in enchilada sauce.

In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Stir in chili powder, cumin, and broth. Add mixture to meat and stir to combine. To assemble, spread meat in an even layer over the bottom of the bottom of a slow cooker. Gently spread tamale dough over the top of the meat mixture. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours until dough is set.