Yesterday marked the first cold snap of
the season in my little corner of the world.
Digging out gloves and scraping the
windshield made me long for the warmer days of the summer. Only for
a moment though. I do love the beautiful, cold, crisp autumn days
when the sun is shining and the leaves are bright gold, orange and
red.
This kind of day calls for a warm,
cozy, hearty enchilada pie of the same color combination.
Shredded Pork Enchilada Pie
2 C cooked shredded pork,
seasoned with 1 tsp taco seasoning (good use of leftover pork roast)
12 small corn tortillas
1 small can green chiles
1/2 C chopped onion
up to 1 T red pepper flakes, depending
on how spicy you desire
3 C cheese of choice (I use cheddar)
1 C re-fried beans
2 C enchilada sauce, red or green
Toppings of your choice: shredded
lettuce, chopped tomato, olives, green onions. Cilantro, sour cream,
guacamole, hot sauce, salsa, tortilla chips for dipping.
Preheat oven to 350*
Oil or butter a 9” inch pie plate.
Arrange 4 corn tortillas on the bottom, breaking up to fit, if
desired (over-lapping is okay)
Pour the enchilada sauce into a shallow
bowl.
Spread half the beans on the tortillas,
spread a little enchilada sauce on beans, top with half the pork,
chiles, onions and 1 C of the cheese. Sprinkle with red pepper
flakes if desired.
Add another 4 tortillas, that have been
dipped in enchilada sauce. Spread the rest of the beans, spread a
little enchilada sauce on beans, top with remainder of pork, chiles,
onions and 1 C of the cheese.
Add the last 4 tortillas, that have
been dipped in enchilada sauce. Spread more enchilada sauce over the
tortillas, letting it drip down into the pan. There may be a little
enchilada sauce left.
Save the last of the cheese for later.
Bake, uncovered, in a 350* oven for about 30
minutes. Placing a cookie sheet on the rack below is helpful in
catching any drips that may occur.
Since ovens vary, check the temperature
of the middle of the pie with a thermometer after 30 minutes. If
it's at least 165*, top with the remaining cheese and continue
baking until the cheese is melted and starting to brown. If it's not
quite hot enough, keep baking until the center reaches at least 165*
(safe temperature for reheating cooked foods)
Remove from oven and let sit for a few
minutes before serving.
Adding corn, black beans, diced
jalapenos, cilantro and other Tex-Mex favorites is encouraged for
variety. I also make this with cooked shredded chicken.
