Wednesdays Unplugged – Nordic Taco Pie

 

We celebrated a wonderful Easter at our son's house… and took advantage of a day off from school on Friday to take our grandkids to the zoo. The one thing they all wanted to be sure to see were the sea otters and we weren't disappointed… having fun watching them play with their balls.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

I have been waiting to try Magnus Nilsson's recipe for Taco Pie since I read about his new book on Nordic cooking in Food and Wine magazine… and he is coming to the American Swedish Institute in June. He said he wanted to document Nordic food culture today… what people are really eating. He said "if you ask my fellow Swedes for a food that best represents their country, they might say pickeled herring or cabbage rolls. But then they'll go home and make taco pie." 

We really liked the flavor of the filling and topping but didn't care for the crust… too thick. Next time I think I would roll it to make it thinner instead of pressing into the pan… or might try a crescent roll crust as I have used with my taco pies for many years.

NORDIC TACO PIE

CRUST

• 5 1/2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk

FILLING

• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 1/4 cups creme fraiche
• 4 1/2 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 large egg, beaten,
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise

MAKE THE CRUST

In a food processor, combine the butter, flour, baking powder and salt and pulse just until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the milk and pulse just until the dough comes together. Press the dough evenly over the bottom and halfway up the side of a 9-inch springform pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 45 minutes

MAKE THE FILLING

In a small bowl, whisk the chili powder with the cumin, 2 teaspoons of salt, the onion powder, cornstarch, cayenne and coriander. In a medium skillet, melt the butter. Add the ground beef and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the spice blend and 2/3 cup of water and cook, stirring occasionally, until the water has evaporate, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk the creme fraiche with the cheddar, egg and mayonnaise. Season with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Set the crust on a rimmed baking sheet. Using a slotted spoon, spread the ground meat evenly over the crust and cover with the cheddar topping. Bake until the toppin is set and the crust is golden brown, about 45 m inutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Sharlene Hensrud, RE/MAX Results - Email - Minneapolis Realtor Who Cooks

RELATED POSTS

• Wednesdays Unplugged – Taco Pie
• Wednesdays Unplugged – Kickin' Hot Brownies