Saturday, May 23, 2009

Mexican 4-Layer Tortilla Stack



Here is a wonderful recipe adapted from a very similar recipe by my friend Kittencal

Serves 4-6

3/4 pound ground chuck (You could substitute both meats with 1 1/2 pounds of bulk hot sausage for extra flavor)
3/4 pound ground pork
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small bell pepper, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 1/2 ounces taco seasoning mix (2 envelopes)
1 1/2 cups of water or whatever amount is required by taco mix
1 10-ounce can tomatoes with chiles (Rotel is a good one)
5 10-inch flour tortillas
2 16-ounce cans refried beans, divided
1 cup sour cream, divided
2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, divided (use more or less to taste)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Set oven rack on lowest position.
Grease a 10-inch round cake pan or round casserole dish.
Saute both meats together along with garlic, onion, and bell pepper until no longer pink. Drain fat and add taco seasoning mix, tomatoes with chilies, and water. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Assembly
Assemble in the order given, as the beans protects the tortillas from absorbing too much moisture. Place one tortilla into the bottom of the pan, and assemble layers as follows:
  • spread 1/2 cup of the refried beans on top only of the first tortilla
  • sprinkle with 1 cup meat mixture making sure the meat stays on the beans
  • spread 1/4 cup sour cream
  • sprinkle 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
  • sprinkle 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
  • spread 1/2 cup of the refried beans on one side of a tortilla, turn it over and place it on the stack, then spread 1/2 cup beans on the top of the same tortilla resulting in beans being on both sides
  • repeat layering procedure 3 more times or until you run out of ingredients
  • end with the fifth tortilla with beans spread on the bottom only
Wrap in foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 30 minutes. Then sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese and return to oven for about 5 minutes or just until the cheese melts.

NOTE: I used a squeeze bottle to apply the sour cream and worked great. Also, I found it necessary to press down on the stack after each tortilla to level it out a bit.

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