Recipe For Cooking Cacerola De Tamales (Tamale Casserole)

Toaster Oven Casseroles :: Side Dish Casseroles

Cacerola de Tamales (Tamale Casserole)

Makes approximately 12 servings.

1 lb. ground beef
1/4 lb. ground pork
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 C. canned tomatoes
1/2 C. chopped ripe olives
2 Tbsp. or more chopped green chile (to taste)
1 tea. salt
1/8 tea. pepper
1 3/4 C. grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1 C. plus 2 Tbsp. cornmeal
3 C. water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Fry ground beef and pork in a med.-size skillet at med. heat until beef is browned.

Add onion and garlic to meat mixture and cook until onion is tender. Drain.

Add tomatoes, olives, green chile, salt, and pepper to mixture and cook for approximately 20 min. (Water may be added to the mixture if a thinner consistency is desired.)

Add 1/4 C. of cheese and 2 Tbsp. of cornmeal to mixture, cook for 2 to 3 min., and set mixture aside.

Place remaining cornmeal and water in a med.-size saucepan. Cook cornmeal mixture, stirring occasionally, until cornmeal is thick.

Spread half of cornmeal mixture in bottom of a prepared 9 x 13-in. baking pan. Place meat mixture over top of cornmeal and spread remaining half of cornmeal over top of filling. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 min.