Corn and Cochayuyo Pie with Turkey-Leek Filling and Crispy Mote Crust

Name: Corn and Cochayuyo Pie with Turkey-Leek Filling and Crispy Mote Crust
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Chilena
Ingredients: 17.6 oz ground turkey breast; 2.8 oz dried cochayuyo seaweed; 5 cups corn kernels; 2 cups leek; 1 1/4 cups white onion; 2 cloves garlic; 1 cup cooked mote wheat; 1 cup milk; 4.2 oz grated chanco cheese; 1/2 cup vegetable or poultry stock; 3 tbsp butter; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 1/2 tbsp fine cornmeal; 1 unit egg; 2 tsp merken spice; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1/3 cup fresh basil; 1 tsp sugar

An original Chilean-style baked pie featuring a silky corn and finely chopped cochayuyo topping, a juicy turkey and leek filling, and a crispy sautéed mote crust. It delivers distinctly Chilean flavors with a creamy interior and a golden, crunchy finish.

30 minPrep

45 minCook

75 minTotal

6Servings

High Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

500 g ground turkey breast (for the pino)
80 g dried cochayuyo seaweed (remojado and cocido antes of picar)
700 g corn kernels (fresh or congelado)
200 g leek (diced small)
180 g white onion (chopped fina)
10 g garlic (chopped fino)
180 g cooked mote wheat (well escurrido)
250 ml milk (whole or semidescremada)
120 g grated chanco cheese (divided)
120 ml vegetable or poultry stock (for humectar the pino)
40 g butter (divided)
30 ml vegetable oil (divided)
20 g fine cornmeal (for espesar the pastelera)
1 unit egg (beaten, for the crust)
4 g merken spice (divided)
2 g ground cumin
1 g black pepper
8 g salt (or a taste)
12 g fresh basil (chopped)
5 g sugar (optional, for balancear the choclo)

Nutrition facts

per serving

418 kcal

Calories

28.4 g

Protein

29.7 g

Carbs

20.1 g

Fat

4.8 g

Fiber

24.9 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. Grease a medium baking dish with 10 g (about 2 tsp) of butter and set aside.
2
2. If the cochayuyo is dried, soak it in cold water for 15 minutes, then simmer it in fresh water for 20 minutes until tender. Drain very well and finely chop it.
3
3. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil and 15 g butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the white onion and leek and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
4
4. Add the ground turkey, 1 tsp merken, ground cumin, black pepper, and half of the salt. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking up the meat, until no longer pink.
5
5. Stir in the chopped cochayuyo and the vegetable or poultry stock. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes over medium heat until the filling is juicy but not watery. Add half of the fresh basil, mix, and remove from the heat.
6
6. For the corn topping, blend the corn kernels with the milk, fine cornmeal, optional sugar, and the remaining salt until thick and creamy but still slightly textured.
7
7. Pour the corn mixture into a saucepan with 15 g butter and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 10 to 12 minutes until thickened. Add 1 tsp merken and mix well.
8
8. In a small skillet, heat the remaining 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Add the cooked mote wheat and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly dried out and firmer. Remove from the heat and mix with the beaten egg and 60 g (2.1 oz) of the grated chanco cheese.
9
9. Spread the turkey and cochayuyo filling in the baking dish. Cover evenly with the corn mixture. Scatter the sautéed mote, cheese, and egg mixture on top, then finish with the remaining grated chanco cheese.
10
10. Bake at 200 °C / 400 °F for 20 to 25 minutes until the top is golden and crisp. For extra browning, broil for 2 to 3 additional minutes, watching closely.
11
11. Remove from the oven and let rest for 8 minutes. Finish with the remaining chopped fresh basil and serve hot.

Chef tips

For a finer texture, chop the cooked cochayuyo very small. If your corn is naturally sweet, skip the sugar. Let the pie rest before serving so it holds its shape better.

Substitutions

You can replace the turkey with ground chicken. Chanco cheese can be swapped for any semi-firm melting cheese. If mote is unavailable, use a thin layer of well-drained cooked oats, though it will change the traditional character.

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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