Pastel Azteca from Enchiladas: Aztec to Tex-Mex

Pastel Azteca (Chicken Enchilada Casserole)

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

• 2 pounds Roma tomatoes
• ½ medium white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Kosher salt to taste

For the layers:

• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (8 ounces each), poached and shredded (Use your favorite method of preparation, moisten with broth, cover, and refrigerate until needed)
• 6 poblano chiles, divided (⅓ are reserved for topping)
• 1 ½ cups crema Mexicana
• 1 ½ firmly packed cups queso asadero, grated (or substitute Monterey Jack)

For the assembly:

• 12 corn tortillas
• Vegetable oil as needed for softening tortillas
• 1 tablespoon butter or vegetable oil for greasing casserole

For the garnish:

• Chopped tomato

Start with the sauce:

1. Place whole tomatoes in a saucepan, add ¾ cup water, cover and cook over medium-low heat until the tomatoes barely burst open.
2. Set aside to cool slightly in the cooking liquid.
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes to a blender along with the onion and garlic.
4. Blend to a very smooth purée, adding tomato cooking liquid as needed to achieve a thick sauce consistency.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a saucepan, add the tomato purée and cook until it slightly darkens, 10–15 minutes. Season with salt to taste, cover and set aside.

Prepare the poblano chiles:

1. Place whole chiles directly on a barbeque grill over hot coals or a gas burner flame. (Heather’s Note: I made do with throwing them under the broiler.)
2. Turn the chiles to blacken them evenly.
3. When chiles are evenly blistered and blackened, remove and place them in a paper bag.
4. Place the paper bag inside a plastic bag, close and allow the chiles to steam for several minutes (until cool enough to handle).
5. When cool, remove skins, stems, veins and seeds from chiles and slice into strips, or rajas.

Note: To maintain maximum flavor, chiles should not be rinsed with water.

Heather’s Note: You may want to use gloves for this part. I burned my hands.

Assemble the pastel:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Mix the shredded chicken with two-thirds of the poblano strips (reserve ⅓ for topping).
3. Pour oil to a depth of ½ inch in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Heat to low frying temperature, about 300°F.
5. Place each tortilla in the oil and fry for a few seconds, just long enough to soften.
6. Drain on paper towels.
7. Butter or oil a shallow ovenproof casserole that will accommodate 4 tortillas in a single slightly overlapping layer (about 8 1⁄2 inches x 12 inches, 22 cm x 29 cm). The casserole should be suitable for serving.
8. Spread a few tablespoons tomato sauce on the bottom of the casserole.
9. Place 4 softened tortillas in a single layer on top of the tomato sauce, followed by half of the poblano/chicken mixture, a third of the remaining tomato sauce, ½ cup crema Mexicana, and ½ cup queso asadero.
10. Layer with 4 more tortillas, the remaining chicken/poblano mixture, a third of the tomato sauce, ½ cup crema Mexicana, and ½ cup queso asadero.
11. Top with the last 4 tortillas and remaining tomato sauce, crema Mexicana, and queso asadero.
12. Decorate the top with the reserved poblano strips.
13. Bake in preheated oven until the cheese is melted and the pastel is heated through, 15–20 minutes.
14. Remove from oven and garnish with chopped tomato. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and let rest for a few minutes before serving.

Reprinted from Enchiladas: Aztec to Tex-Mex Copyright © 2015 by Cappy Lawton and Chris Waters Dunn. published by Trinity University Press.