Tamale Pie from Trinidad and Tobago

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 500 g minced beef
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 bell peppers, diced
• 2 cans of tomatoes
• 1 can of corn
• 3 garlic cloves, diced
• 100 g green olives, diced
• 1 tbsp capers, diced
• 2 chili peppers
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• black pepper
• 150 g cheese, old, grated Gouda or Cheddar
• 150 g corn semolina (fine) or polenta flour
• 400 ml milk
• 20 g butter

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 10 minutes

casserole topped with polenta

Sauté the onions, ground beef, diced bell peppers, and garlic in a little oil, then add the tomatoes and their juices, the corn, chilies, capers, salt, and pepper, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove the chilies, add the grated cheese, stir, and once melted, pour the mixture into a buttered casserole dish. Add the cornmeal to the hot milk, season with salt, and continue heating, stirring constantly, until a firm paste forms. Add a little more milk if necessary. Finally, mix in 20 grams of butter and pour everything onto the minced beef mixture in the dish. Bake in the oven at 170 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes.