Tortilla and Black Bean Pie

I’m going to make a confession that will likely make me sound crazy. Or just stupid. But, it’s true, so whatever. Here we go…

I found this recipe because I was looking for a reason to use my springform pan. It had been a while and I saw it sitting in my cupboard and thought, I really need to use that thing. Of course, there were a million and one recipes for cheesecake that use springform pans, but um… I don’t like cheesecake. There were obviously other cakes as well, but when I saw this, I was intrigued.

I think this dish should actually be called “tortilla and black bean lasagna,” but I guess it’s called a pie because it’s made in a round dish and cut into wedges to serve. Whatever you call it, though, it’s good. This came together really easily, too, so if you’re looking for a fairly quick weeknight meal, this is your solution. It could be made even more quickly if you make the bean mixture in advance, and simply assemble and bake it on the night you want to eat it.

Melissa adapted the recipe to include ground beef, and only one can of black beans, but we decided to forgo the beef and make the original, vegetarian version. The only other change we made was to omit the two serrano peppers.

I have to say: Don’t be deterred by the use of a beer in the recipe. Growing up, I had an uncle (he’s an ex-uncle now) who put beer in everything he cooked. And we’re not talking about good beer, either. My cousin and I always used to beg him to make “normal” spaghetti sauce, but we rarely won. If we were lucky, he’s put aside a little bit of sauce for us before adding his “secret ingredient.” Blech. So, although I like beer, I’m still a bit scarred and hesitant to use it in my cooking unless it makes sense to me. It seemed weird to use it in this instance, but I threw caution to the wind and just went with it, and in the end, I’m glad I did.

Although this isn’t a good picture, I wanted to share what it looks like as a whole (well, except for a piece cut out of it):

Tortilla and Black Bean Pie
(Source: Adapted from Delicious Meliscious)

Ingredients:
– 4 (10-inch) flour (or wheat) tortillas
– 1 tbsp. canola oil
– 1 large onion, diced
– 2 mild jalapenos
– 2 cloves garlic, minced
– 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
– 2 cans (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
– 12 ounces beer, or 1 1/2 cups water
– 1 can corn, drained OR 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn
– 1 small jar of enchilada sauce
– 4 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
– 2 1/2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
– sour cream and salsa, for serving (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If your springform pan is smaller than your tortillas, use a paring knife to trim tortillas to fit the pan, using the bottom of the pan as a guide. Set aside.

2. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion, jalapeno, garlic, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Add beans and beer to skillet, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until liquid has almost evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in corn and scallions, and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Fit a tortilla in bottom of springform pan; layer with 1/4 of the beans, drizzle with some enchilada sauce, and top with 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat three times, using 1 cup cheese on top layer. Bake until hot and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Unmold pie; sprinkle with scallions. To serve, slice into wedges and serve with sour cream and salsa.