Criollo squash and cumin beef pie with creamy corn center and sardo cheese crust

Name: Criollo squash and cumin beef pie with creamy corn center and sardo cheese crust
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Argentina
Ingredients: 1.1 lb ground beef; 1 1/2 cups onion; 1 cup red bell pepper; 2 cloves garlic; 2 tbsp sunflower oil; 2 tsp sweet paprika; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 3/4 cup crushed tomato; 1/4 cup green olives; 1 1/4 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 2 cups corn kernels; 1/2 cup scallions; 1 1/2 tbsp butter; 3/4 cup milk; 2 tbsp all-purpose flour; 1/4 tsp nutmeg; 1 lb 9 oz kabocha squash or pumpkin; 14 oz potato; 1 1/4 cups grated sardo cheese; 1 large egg; 1/4 cup breadcrumbs

An original Argentine layered pie: a base of sautéed beef with onion, bell pepper, and cumin, a creamy corn filling in the middle, and a topping of squash-potato mash finished with melted sardo cheese. Comforting, homemade, and deeply criollo in character.

30 minPrep

55 minCook

85 minTotal

6Servings

High Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

500 g ground beef (preferentemente with 10-15% of grasa)
200 g onion (chopped diced small)
150 g red bell pepper (chopped diced small)
10 g garlic (chopped)
30 ml sunflower oil
4 g sweet paprika
2 g ground cumin
1 g dried oregano
200 g crushed tomato
40 g green olives (chopped)
8 g salt (or a taste)
1 g black pepper (freshly ground)
300 g corn kernels (fresh or congelado)
60 g scallions (parte blanca and verde chopped)
20 g butter
180 ml milk
15 g all-purpose flour
1 g nutmeg
700 g kabocha squash or pumpkin (pelado and diced)
400 g potato (pelada and diced)
120 g grated sardo cheese (divided)
1 unit egg (lightly beaten)
30 g breadcrumbs

Nutrition facts

per serving

518 kcal

Calories

29 g

Protein

31 g

Carbs

31 g

Fat

4 g

Fiber

27 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

GlutenDairyEggs

Instructions

1
1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C / 400 °F. Lightly grease a baking dish about 12 x 8 inches with a little of the sunflower oil.
2
2. Place the squash and potato in a pot with water and 4 g salt. Cook until tender, about 18 to 20 minutes. Drain well.
3
3. Mash the hot squash and potato until smooth. Mix in the beaten egg, 60 g grated sardo cheese, a pinch of black pepper, and more salt if needed. Set aside.
4
4. While the squash and potato cook, heat the remaining sunflower oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, red bell pepper, and garlic. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until softened.
5
5. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 8 minutes. Stir in the sweet paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, remaining salt, and black pepper.
6
6. Add the crushed tomato and green olives. Cook 8 minutes more until the filling is juicy but not runny. Remove from the heat and set aside.
7
7. For the creamy corn layer, melt the butter in another skillet or medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the scallions and cook for 2 minutes.
8
8. Add the corn kernels and cook for 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the all-purpose flour and stir for 1 minute so it loses its raw taste.
9
9. Gradually pour in the milk, stirring constantly, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until thick and creamy. Season with nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Turn off the heat and stir in 30 g grated sardo cheese.
10
10. Spread the beef mixture in the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with the creamy corn layer. Then spread the squash-potato mash on top, smoothing it with a spoon.
11
11. Mix the breadcrumbs with the remaining 30 g grated sardo cheese and sprinkle over the top.
12
12. Bake at 200 °C / 400 °F for 22 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden and the edges are bubbling. For deeper color, broil for 2 extra minutes if desired.
13
13. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving so the layers can settle and the pie slices cleanly.

Chef tips

Drain the squash and potato very well so the topping does not become watery. If your corn is especially sweet, an extra pinch of salt in the creamy corn layer will balance the dish better.

Substitutions

You can replace the ground beef with ground pork. Sardo cheese can be swapped for a similar Argentine semi-hard cheese. If you do not have scallions, use the same amount of finely chopped leek.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Illustrative image
Cosori Pro LE 5 Qt Air Fryer
Browning and baking with little oil
- Browns food with very little oil
- Handy for vegetables, chicken and reheating
- Check the basket capacity
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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