Easy Mini Tamale Pies

Mini Tamale Pies

I’m always looking for new recipes that my family will love. I have picky eaters at my house and a lot of times I will think I have picked a winning recipe, when in fact, I will have a couple of family members put their noses up.

I guess with such a large family, I should expect that. I love this serving size and I love this delicious little pie. The crust is flaky and crunchy and the filling is a perfect compliment to the dish.

Mini Tamale Pies

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder
salt
1 onion, quartered
2 teaspoons thyme
2 teaspoons oregano
2 bay leaves
12 peppercorns
24 dried corn husks
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/3 cup plus 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced
1 10 ounces can enchilada sauce
2 teaspoons flour
2 teaspoons sugar
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups masa harina (instant corn flour)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/3 cups vegetable oil
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mini Tamale Pies

Directions:

• Make the filling:  Put the pork into a large pot and cover with cold water (about 6 cups). Add 2 teaspoons salt, onion, thyme, oregano, bay leaves, and peppercorns; cover and bring to a boil and then turn it down to a simmer. Cook until the pork is tender, 2 hours or a little longer.
• Transfer the pork to a plate and shred. Strain and reserve the cooking liquid.
• Combine the pork, cumin, 1/3 cup chili powder, garlic, flour, sugar, vegetable oil, enchilada sauce, and 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid in a large skillet.
• Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes.

• Crust: Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine masa harina, chicken broth, and vegetable in a medium bowl and mix well with your hands until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside.
• To assemble:  Spray muffin tin with cooking spray. Divide the masa dough evenly among the wells of a muffin pan, about 1 Tablespoon per spot.
• Using your clean fingers, press the masa evenly into a thin layer on the bottom and up the sides of each well.
• Evenly divide the filling among the masa lined wells.
• Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and evenly sprinkle the shredded cheese over the filling. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbling about 10 minutes.
• Remove the pan and let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of each well to loosen and remove the pies. Top each pie with a dollop of sour cream and a little cilantro.