Pie Another Day
Cheesy Ground Beef & Corn Tortilla Layered Dinner Bake
55 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerMexican
Herb's take
Think of this as American comfort food meets Tex-Mex lasagna, where humble corn tortillas play hero as both crust and crown. You’ll learn the architectural magic of layering and how to keep a beefy filling juicy, not soggy, inside a pie that slices beautifully.
Ingredients
Yield
4
Instructions
- 01Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease an 8-inch round baking dish or cake pan with 1 tablespoon oil.
- 02Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and a pinch of salt; cook until softened, about 4-5 minutes.
- 03Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- 04Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spatula. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook until browned and most moisture has evaporated, about 6-7 minutes.
- 05Stir in tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute to toast the spices and deepen flavors.
- 06Pour in beef broth and bring to a simmer. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- 07Simmer until mixture has thickened and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- 08Arrange 2 tortillas in the base of the prepared dish, overlapping to cover.
- 09Spread one-third of the beef mixture over tortillas. Sprinkle with one-quarter of the shredded cheddar.
- 10Repeat layering twice more (tortilla, beef, cheese), using 2 tortillas per layer and ending with the last 2 tortillas on top.
- 11Scatter remaining cheddar over the final tortilla layer.
- 12Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the pie is hot throughout and cheese is melted and lightly browned.
- 13Let pie rest 10 minutes before slicing into wedges.
- 14Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired, and serve warm.
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