Full disclosure – Local Taco Pie is not (yet) in rotation at our house. I wanted to practice making Masa Harina Pie Crust, and some sort of a meat pie was where my mind went. The idea evolved into this recipe, using the flavors and topping of our (local) version of tacos. After all, it is Tuesday!
It was very good, and much lighter than expected. Just enough cheese. Just a dollop of sour cream. Just a dab of avocado. I do have regrets though. Radishes are beginning to pop out of the garden, and they would have added that just-right peppery crunch. And a Margarita – I really would have loved sipping a Margarita with this meal. Next time. There will be a next time for this Local Taco Pie!
Local Taco Pie
Ingredients
Taco Pie
- 1 T olive oil
- 1/2 onion
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 t garlic powder
- 1 t salt
- 1 t chili powder
- 1 t dried oregano
- 1 t cumin
- 1 T cornstarch
- 1 T tomato paste
- 1 parbaked Masa Harina Pie Crust (see note)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup refried beans
- 1/2 cup Tomatillo Salsa (see note)
- 8 ounces shredded cheddar
Toppings
- chopped lettuce
- black olives
- scallions
- avocado
- sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and dice the onion – Preheat the oven to 400℉, convection bake setting. Finely dice the onion.
- Sauté the onion and beef – Heat the olive oil then add the onion. Sauté until soft, then add the beef and continue cooking until the beef is thoroughly browned.
- Finish the filling – Once the ground beef is cooked, add the spices, cornstarch and tomato paste to the pan. Stir to combine, and then add the water. Cook for a few minutes until the mixture is slightly thickened.
- Assemble and bake – Spread the refried beans evenly across the bottom of the pie crust, then top with the beef mixture. Top that with salsa, and then cheese. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
- Prepare the taco toppings – While the Taco Pie is baking, chop the scallions, slice the olives, chop the lettuce, and prep the avocado.
- Garnish and serve – If you're feeding a group, it would be nice to add the toppings to the pie, then cut and serve at the table. Or you could serve slices and pass the taco topping platter around so that your friends can customize their own.
Notes
Why “Local” Taco Pie, you might ask? I’m confused by the concept of cultural appropriation. Sure, I get it if someone is adopting the styles, food, or customs of a culture for the purpose of making a profit. That’s clearly exploitation. Cultural appropriation connotes exploitation. But taken literally, if I adopt the styles, food, or the food of a different culture, I’m “appropriating” it. And I don’t think of it as a negative thing – it’s a nod of appreciation. So I’ve called this “Local” Taco Pie to side-step that issue. But in reality, I’m not very good at the technical aspect of writing these blog posts, and if the first word in my Title is less than five letters, the formatting goes awry on my Welcome Page. So there you have it – problem(s) solved.