There are as many names for this dish as there are recipes. In Mexico, this dish would probably be called budin Azteca, or Aztec Pie. When the pie crossed the border in Texas, it was readily adapted and made with beef, or chicken, or beans. It may be called Mexican lasagna, stacked enchiladas, tortilla torte, torta tortilla, or Southwestern casserole. By whatever name, the dish is a home-style favorite, with layers of tortillas, salsa, and cheese.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, halved and slivered
- 1 green bell pepper, julienned
- 1 red bell pepper, julienned
- 2 fresh or canned green chiles, seeded and diced
- 2 cups fresh or canned seeded and diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Oil, for frying (optional)
- 1 package (9 ounces) corn tortillas
- 2 cups homemade refried beans or 1 can (15 ounces)
- 2 cups grated Monterey Jack or Cheddar
- 1 cup sliced California black olives
- ½ cup sour cream
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 425˚F.
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion, bell peppers, and chiles until the onion is limp, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Heat ½ inch of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Using tongs, dip tortillas one by one in the oil just long enough to soften, 10 to 15 seconds. Drain on paper towels. (This step is optional, but it improves the flavor and texture of the finished dish because everything is better fried.) Cut the tortillas into wedges.
- Spoon about ½ cup of the tomato mixture into a 1½ quart casserole dish. Arrange an overlapping layer of tortillas wedges on top (use one-third of the tortillas). Spoon 1 cup of the tomato mixture on top. Spread about half of the refried beans in an even layer on top of the tomato layer. Sprinkle with one-quarter of the cheese and half the olives. Cover with another layer of tortillas and tomato mixture. Top with the remaining refried beans, then one-quarter of the cheese and the remaining olives. Arrange a final layer of tortillas on top. Spoon the remaining tomato mixture over this layer. Top with the sour cream and the remaining cheese.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the filling is heated through. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
