Holiday Spiced Vegetarian Tamale Pie with Avocado

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Servings:

• Recipe serving size: 1/8 serving
• Number of servings: Adjust Reset

Ingredients:

• Masa

• 1 1/4 cups dried corn masa for tamales or "corn dough" for tamales
• 1 cup fresh corn or frozen corn (1 corn ear makes 1 cup, wt: 6 - 5/8oz or 189 gms)
• 1 ripe, fresh avocado, halved, pitted and peeled
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water, warmed
• 1 tsp. baking powder

• Vegetarian Pie Filling

• 2 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded, small diced or frozen butternut squash
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 poblano chile, stem removed, seeded, chopped
• 1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles (mild, medium or hot)
• 1 cup salsa verde (green salsa in a jar or can)
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped,
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped

Instructions:

1. Instructions for masa:

2. Grind the fresh corn in a blender or food processor until soften. Add the avocado and 1/2 tsp of salt and blend for 30 seconds.
3. Place this mixture in a bowl. Use a fork to combine or beat the rest of masa ingredients with a mixing beater. First, add 1/3 of the dried masa, then 1/3 warm broth, alternating mixing each time for about a minute. Scrape down the sides. Sprinkle the baking powder. Continue to add the broth to have a masa that is fluffy and smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed. Make a ball and wrap with plastic wrap, let stand at room temperature, covered.
4. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees.
5. Start cooking the filling. Once filling is cooked. Grease a 8 x 11 inch baking pan with cooking spray and fill with vegetarian or meat filling.
6. Take the masa and flatten it out over the plastic wrap. If it's too sticky use some dried corn masa to spread over the plastic wrap and some for your hands. Masa should feel soft but not too sticky.
7. Place another plastic wrap on top of the masa, with a rolling pin continue to spread masa to about the same size of your baking dish to cover. Transfer the masa using the bottom plastic wrap and flip over onto the mixture.

1. Instructions for vegetarian pie filling:

2. Peel butternut squash and cut in small dice. You can also use frozen diced butternut squash.
3. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add oil. Add onion, garlic and poblano pepper, sauté for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add butternut squash to skillet. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add pinto beans, tomatoes/green chiles, salsa verde and cumin. Combine and reduce heat. Simmer for 5 more minutes until all flavors have combined. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Remove from heat. Mix well.
5. Pour mixture in a greased baking dish, sprinkle cilantro and transfer the masa over the mixture. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees until golden brown. Remove from oven and let it stand 5 minutes before cutting into squares.
6. Serve with cut up avocado slices.

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