Mexi-Bean Bake

 

After a really busy and full week last week, I found myself craving something simple for tea on Saturday evening.  A store cupboard meal and something which would not take a lot of time to knock together.  I have this recipe binder that I have had kicking around for a very long time and this recipe comes from that.  It is perfect for those lacking in inspiration nights and for nights when you are feeling very lazy but still want to eat something delicious!  Tex-Mex Bean Bake.  I have no idea where the original recipe comes from, as it is hand written and I didn't make note of the source back when I was doing my binder.  All I can tell you for sure is it is very tasty and very old . . .  written on a page that is splattered and torn!  A testimony to it's deliciousness!

 

 

It was also perfect for using some of these delicious Cirio ingredients I was gifted with last week!  Oh I do love my tomatoes and I do love Cirio products best of all.  They're my favourite thing to play with, so do look for more tomato tastiness soon. Now back to my recipe.

 

Perfect for meatless Monday, and in fact, I am betting you have everything you need in your cupboard right now to get on with making this for supper tonight!  With it's fresh Tex-Mex flavours this is a real family pleaser! 

  

It begins with a simple bean sauce . . . beans being a protein.  The sauce is so simple to make and takes chopped onion, tomato pasatta, garlic and some herbs and spices, along with some red kidney beans.  You could actually use any bean you wanted to, but red kidney beans are synonymous with Tex Mex cookery.  

 

Unless you like things really hot you will want to use mild chili powder in this recipe.  I am not a huge fan of blow your head off heat, so I make things a bit milder.  You could also add a chopped green chili to the sauce for more heat if you wanted to.  I like to keep things simple.

 

That delicious bean sauce gets layered in a casserole dish with crushed tortilla chips, corn niblets and black olives.  All Tex-Mex ingredients.  I used cheesy tortilla chips this time because that is what I had, but I think any good tortilla chip would work. 

 

You cover and bake this for about half an hour or so . . .  just long enough for the flavours to really meld together.  Then you uncover it and throw some cheese on top and bake it for a bit longer to melt the cheese.

 

Spicy, hearty, filling and delicious.  Mmmm, this is so good.  If you are a fan of these types of flavours and your family loves them too, it is sure to go down a real treat.  All you need on the side is some salad.  A dollop of sour cream on the top also goes well.

*Mexi-Bean Bake*

Serves 6

Printable Recipe  

This fabulous entree comes together very quickly with store-cupboard ingredients, plus it is great for any veggies in your group!  A salad and some crusty bread on the side is all you need for a complete meal! 

2 TBS vegetable oil

1 large brown onion, peeled and chopped coarsely

1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and minced

540g of tomato pasatta (19 ounces of Tomato sauce)

2 (400g) tins of kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 TBS mild chili powder (Or to taste)

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper 

You will also need:

540g tin of corn niblets, drained, or the equivalent of frozen corn, (2 cups)

125g of sliced black olives (1/2 cup)

150g of crushed tortilla chips (about 2 cups)

60g grated strong cheddar cheese (1/2 cup)

 

 Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Butter a deep 2 litre (2 quart) casserole dish.  Set aside. 

Heat the oil in a large skillet.  Add the onon and cook, stirring over medium heat until it has softened. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in the passata, drained beans, chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, salt and black pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a slow simmer and cook for about 8 minutes or so to meld the flavours. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.

Sprinkle 1/3 of the crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of the casserole. Cover with half of the beans mixture and half the corn and olives. Top with another 1/3 of the crushed chips. Cover with the remaining beans, corn and olives.  Sprinkle the final 1/3 of chips over top. Cover with aluminium foil tightly and place in the preheated oven. Bake for about 40 minutes. Uncover and scatter the cheese over top.  Return to the oven and bake for a further 5  minutes to melt the cheese. Remove and let stand for 5 minutes.  Serve hot.

 

The product I used in this was the Cirio Classica Pasatta. Cirio’s unique experience and expertise has resulted in the finest Italian Passata. Perfectly smooth and velvety with a sweet, delicate flavour, round Italian tomatoes are peeled and passed through a fine sieve to produce a creamy Passata that is thick and delicious.  It is available in glass bottles, tetra bricks and the newer PET bottles.  I quite like these newer bottles.  They have a nice shape and are unbreakable, always a plus in my books!

  

I really hope you will try this recipe.  Its simple, easy and economical, and if you do, make sure to use a good quality tomato.  In a recipe where the tomatoes are the star, quality shows.  Thanks Cirio.  Bon Appetit!