Pastel Azteca (Mexican lasagne)
“The number-one Mexican ingredient, corn is a true staple! We are also known as ‘sons of the corn’. We can’t live without it!”
Ingredients
- 500g chicken thigh fillets
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil
- 12 corn tortillas
- 300g shredded mozzarella
- 200ml thickened cream
- Green salad, lime wedges and pickled jalapenos, to serve
Sauce
- 400g can diced tomatoes
- 200ml chicken stock
- 1/4 cup (70g) chipotle in adobo
- 1 tsp each ground cumin and dried oregano
Vegetables
- 2 poblano peppers (Mexican chillies, available from specialty grocers)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 250g baby spinach
- 2 corn cobs, kernels removed
Method
1.Place chicken in a medium saucepan and add enough water to cover. Add bay leaves, garlic and 1 tsp fine salt. Bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked and tender. Remove chicken and garlic from water, discarding cooking liquid and bay leaves, and shred chicken. Mash cooked garlic with a fork and stir through the chicken. Set aside.
2.For the sauce, place all ingredients in a blender and whiz until smooth. Transfer to a medium saucepan, bring to the boil then reduce heat, season with salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper to taste and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside.
3.For the vegetables, preheat oven grill. Place peppers on a small baking tray and cook under grill, turning regularly, for 4-6 minutes until charred. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and stand for 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard skin and seeds. Thinly slice flesh.
4.Heat 2 tbs oil in a large deep frypan over medium heat and cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add spinach, corn kernels and sliced pepper and cook for 5 minutes or until spinach has wilted. Season with salt flakes to taste. Set aside.
5.For the tortillas, heat a little of the remaining oil in a medium frypan over medium-high heat. Slightly fry tortillas, one at a time, until soft (be careful not to fry them too much; you don’t want crunchy tortillas). Add a little more remaining oil as you go. Set tortillas aside.
6.Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Add 2-3 tbs sauce to a 2.5L-capacity baking dish and spread over base. Add 2-4 tortillas, tearing them to fit so they don’t overlap too much. Add 1/4 of the chicken on top, 1/4 of the vegies and 1/4 of the cream and cheese. Repeat until all ingredients are used up, finishing with a layer of cream and cheese on top. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden and bubbly.
7.Remove from oven and stand for 15 minutes before serving with a green salad, lime wedges and pickled jalapenos.