Enchilada Pie

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This is an incredible time of year.  The nights are cool enough for sleeping, the mornings are crisp then give way to a warmth that does not bake my brain but makes me actually want to soak up the sun.  The Farmers Markets overflow with produce, piles of squash are beginning to make an appearance, and best of all… fall means that someday soon it will be winter!

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Enchiladas are a labor of love and if you are able to make the little rolls, more power to you.  But for the times when I need to feed the masses and make a large quantity in a reasonable amount of time, layering the ingredients like a lasagna is a handy method.  The general concept of the pie is to prep the ingredients ahead of time, lightly fry the tortillas, then stack everything into a casserole/lasagna style (interpretation for Minnesotans—‘hotdish style’).

This can be prepped days ahead and even frozen for later use.  Love that!

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Tips on peeling squash:

RecipeTips has loads of information about squash in general, and at the bottom of the page there are a few photos about peeling.

The Kitchn and Simply Recipes show ways to peel a butternut squash.  Butternut is the easiest squash to peel and is the one I use if I must have cubed squash, it’s also an excellent keeper so you could buy ahead and eat squash all winter.

Round-ish shaped varieties of squash (Jarrahdale, Turban, Buttercup) are more difficult to peel so it may be easiest to roast it first then scoop out the innards and coarsely chop.  More about cooking squash at eatocracy, and wikihow has pictures.

I found the shape of this Blue Hubbard to be relatively easy to peel.

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I roast the corn and squash together since they take a similar amount of time.  Toss with canola oil and spices first for more flavor.

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There are countless combinations of innards and sauces—this list could go on for pages but here are a few ideas:

  • Chicken and Pumpkin Seeds with a Salsa Verde sauce
  • Goat Cheese with a Red Móle sauce
  • Roasted Yams and Tofu with a Red Enchilada Sauce
  • Turkey, Green Chile and Queso Fresco with a Green Móle sauce

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Lightly fry each tortilla.

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Layer layer layer.

I sometimes cut the tortillas to trim their round edges, then use the little pieces to fill in the cracks.

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I make this in a half-hotel pan of commercial kitchen variety, a similar size to a household 9.5 x 11 inch pan.

Much of the prep can be done earlier in the week.  Feel free to adjust these proportions to taste more of your favorite ingredient, or add another protein like ground chicken or beef.

This makes a hearty amount of chow, 8-12 servings depending on your crowd.

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Enchilada Pie with Roasted Squash and Corn

Prep Time  60-75 minutes to chop and roast the squash/corn, then other prep while it is roasting (does not include the sauce or bean time)

Bake Time 60-90 minutes, plus 15 minutes to let it rest

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Prep ahead:

2 cups Pintos

7 cups Three Chile Enchilada Sauce, or another of your choice

If you heat the Enchilada Sauce before layering it will speed up the cooking process. 

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Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Toss together in a large bowl:

1 medium-small Winter Squash (Butternut, Jarrahdale, Delicada, Turban, etc), peeled and cubed—3 or 4 cups

3 cups Corn, cut off the cob or frozen kernels

1 large Onion, diced

2-4 Tablespoons Oil

1/4 cup Lemon or Lime Juice

1 Tablespoon Chili Powder or a single Chile Powder (like dried New Mexico chiles)

1 Tablespoon Coriander, ground

1 Tablespoon Cumin, ground

2 teaspoons Granulated Garlic

1-2 teaspoons Sea Salt (depending on your salt preference)

On a cookie sheet or half-sheet pan, roast for 30-45 minutes at 375 degrees.  Stir occasionally.  

Remove from oven when they have a mild leathery look. 

Turn down the oven to 350 degrees. 

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While that is roasting…

Lightly fry or brush with oil:

12 corn tortillas

Grate:

4 cups Cheese—I like to use a combination of Smoked Cheddar and Sharp Cheddar.  Any Mexican cheese would also be great.

Toss together in a bowl:

2 cups Pinto Beans

1 Tablespoon Coriander, ground

1 Tablespoon Cumin, ground

1 teaspoon Granulated Garlic

1 teaspoon Oregano, dried

1/2 – 1 teaspoon Sea Salt

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

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Layer the Pie

Oil a deep 9×13 (or equivalent) pan:

Layer 1

1 cup Enchilada Sauce (to lightly cover the bottom)

1 layer (approximately 4) Corn Tortillas (you can cut them to make them fit)

Corn and Squash mixture

8 ounces Cream Cheese, broken up into small pieces

1 1/2 cups Enchilada Sauce

Layer 2

1 layer Corn Tortillas

1 cup sour cream

2 cups Pinto Mixture

(Optional: 2 cups Ground Beef, cooked and seasoned)

2 cups Cheese, grated or crumbled

1 1/2 cups Enchilada Sauce

Top Layer

1 layer Corn Tortillas

1 cup Enchilada Sauce

Cover with foil or a lid and bake for approximately 1 hour at 350 degrees.   If using foil, take care that it does not touch the acidic sauce—it will eat holes in the foil. 

Remove from oven and add:

1 1/2 cup Enchilada Sauce, warmed

2 cups Cheese, grated

Bake uncovered 15 minutes to melt the cheese.

Remove from oven and let sit for at least 15 minutes before cutting into pieces.

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If I may indulge you with a sweet catering wedding dinner photo that was sent to me by the couple…local foods and local flowers.

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1 thought on “Enchilada Pie”

  • My, oh my!
    Enchilada Pie!
    Can’t wait to try
    and that ain’t no lie.
    Thank you for all of the yummy inspiration!
    lovelovelove

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