Mexican-style tortilla cake

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 5 tortillas
• 500 g minced meat, mixed
• 200 g tomatoes, small, firm
• 3 peppers, colored
• 1 can of corn
• 1 can kidney beans
• 100 g feta cheese
• 1 jar sauce (tortilla sauce, spicy tomato sauce or guacamole)
• 1 package of cheese, grated, approx. 200 – 250 g
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp black paprika powder
• 50 g chili pepper(s) (jalapenos), if you like it hot

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 55 minutes

fruity to spicy

The tortilla cake can be individually seasoned fruity, mild, or spicy, depending on your preference. This is primarily determined by the tortilla sauce you choose. The individual layers of the cake consist of different ingredients and are “glued” together with grated cheese to prevent them from falling apart. The cake ring should be about 10 cm high. Add the peppers, tomatoes, and feta cheese, and cut into approximately 1 x 1 cm pieces. Drain the beans and corn. Brown the ground meat without oil. When the meat is almost cooked, add salt, pepper, and hot paprika, mix, and continue cooking briefly until the meat no longer has any raw bits. Place the baking paper on the baking sheet and place the cake ring on top. Unwrap the tortillas and place one tortilla in the cake ring as the bottom layer. Then adjust the cake ring so that it is roughly the same size as the tortilla. It doesn’t have to fit snugly. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place half of the meat on the first tortilla and spread it evenly. If you like, you can also add a few crumbled pieces of feta cheese at this point. Spread a heaped tablespoon of grated cheese over it. Place a tortilla on top of the meat and press down lightly. For the next layer, add the whole peppers, spread them evenly, and spread with two tablespoons of your chosen tortilla sauce. Spread a heaped tablespoon of grated cheese over it. Place a tortilla on top and press down lightly. Mix the beans and corn together with the jalapenos and add the next layer. Spread them out, spread with two tablespoons of sauce, and sprinkle with a heaped tablespoon of grated cheese. Place a tortilla on top and press down lightly. Add the second half of the meat without the sauce and spread a heaped tablespoon of grated cheese over it. Place a tortilla on top and press down lightly. For the last layer, add the tomatoes, scatter the feta cheese pieces over them, and finally spread the rest of the sauce on top. If there is any leftover grated cheese, sprinkle that on top too. Bake the tortilla cake in the oven on the second lowest rack with top/bottom heat for about 25 minutes at 200°C. Then remove from the oven and let it cool briefly. Use a long, narrow knife to cut around the edge of the cake ring and cut it into quarters, making sure to cut through the bottom tortilla as well. Then slowly pull the cake ring straight up. The cake should now stand on its own, and the quarters can be lifted onto a plate using a kitchen helper or a very wide cake lifter. Because every oven is slightly different and I have no experience with convection ovens, you should check how it looks after 20 minutes. If it is already browning, reduce the temperature to 150°C and bake for another 5 minutes. If it is not browning yet, move the cake to the next rack and bake for another 5 minutes at 200°C.