Tamale Pie (Panamanian Tamal de Olla)

Kim-Julie Hansen & Nina Herrera

Tamale Pie (Panamanian Tamal de Olla)

5 from 1 vote

This Tamale Pie is a plant-based twist on Tamal de Olla, a traditional Panamanian specialty similar to tamales, but cooked in a pan (olla means “pan”) and omitting the banana leaves. Marinated soy curls, creamy polenta, and a tomato-vegetable base with fried capers give this recipe its depth of flavor and creamy texture.

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1 5

Total Time 1 35

Servings: 6 Servings

Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Latin American, Plant-Based, Vegan, Vegetarian

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

For the Soy Curls

5.25 ounces Large soy curls dry weight, also called "textured vegetable protein" (NOT the small granules, but those sometimes labeled “chicken style")
1 tablespoon Dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons Sea salt
1/2 teaspoon Ground black pepper
4 cups Boiling water

For the Creamy Base

3 cups Water
1 1/2 cups Yellow cornflour called 'corn maize' in the U.K., it is yellow in color and is not the same as cornstarch! (see notes)
1-2 cups Vegetable broth
1/4 cup Dairy-free butter the solid kind, not margarine.
1 pinch Sea salt or more, to taste

For the Tamale Pie Base

2 tablespoons Olive oil
2 teaspoons Annatto seeds also called "achiote"
1 Red chili pepper finely sliced
1 Medium onion yellow or white, diced
1 Red bell pepper core removed and diced
4 cloves Garlic minced
1 pinch Sea salt or more, to taste
1 pinch Ground black pepper or more, to taste
1/2 cup Red wine
2 tablespoons Tamari sauce use tamari for a gluten-free version, otherwise soy sauce works too
1 tablespoon Red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dried oregano
2 Medium-large tomatoes chopped
14 ounces Canned tomato puree also called "passata"
1/4 cup Pitted green olives sliced
1/4 cup Raisins

For the Fried Capers

1 tablespoon Olive oil
1/4 cup Capers drained and (optionally) stems removed

To Serve

3 tablespoons Fresh parsley chopped (optional)

Equipment

Electric Kettle

Mini Strainer

Large Cast Iron Skillet

Medium Non-Stick Saucepan

Small Frying Pan

Immersion Blender

Method

Prepare the Soy Curls

Place the soy curls, oregano, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Pour boiling water over the soy curls and spices and mix well. Cover with a lid pr plate and let soak for at least 15 to 20 minutes before draining them (prepare the next steps during this time.)

Make The Creamy Corn

In a large pot, bring the water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, then slowly add the cornmeal (to avoid clumping), whisk, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until it starts to thicken.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, occasionally stirring and adding vegetable broth as needed, making sure the texture is creamy and thick, and not runny (during this time, you can already flavor the oil for the next step.) Remove from the heat, mix in the dairy-free butter, cover with a lid and set aside.

Flavor the Oil

While the creamy corn is simmering, combine the olive oil and annatto seeds (achiote) in a large cast iron skillet (or other pan.) Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove the seeds, once the oil is bright orange (it’s meant to add flavor and color to the oil, but the seeds themselves must be removed). TIP: use a small strainer for the easiest way to remove the seeds without removing the oil.

Make the Tamale Pie Base

Place the skillet with the flavored oil back on the stove top and change the heat to medium-high. Add the drained soy curls, red chili pepper, garlic, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Sauté for 10 minutes (your stovetop's heat settings may vary so if it seems to burn, lower the heat to medium or medium-low), then slowly add the red wine, tamari, red wine vinegar, and oregano. Cook for another 5 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) to prepare for baking the Tamale Pie later on.
Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato puree, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, then remove from heat. Remove about 3/4 cup (180mL) of the tomato base (but none of the soy curls) and set aside.

Fry the Capers

Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the capers and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until crispy, then remove from the heat.

Assemble and Bake the Tamale Pie

Blend the small portion of tomato base you removed earlier It into the creamy corn layer using an immersion blender. The corn layer’s consistency should be thick and creamy, a bit like that of firm mashed potatoes.
Mix the green olives, raisins, and fried capers into the Tamale pie base.
Optional step: traditionally, Tamale Pie (Tamal de Olla) is served with a small portion of the base on top of the corn layer. This is optional, but if you choose to do this, simply remove about 1/4 cup of the base before adding the creamy corn, then place it in the center of the pie, on top of the corn, before baking.
Next, cover the Tamale pie base with the creamy corn (the way you would do when making a shepherd's pie) and place the skillet in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Note: if you're not using a cast iron skillet or other oven-proof pan, transfer the Tamale pie base and creamy corn to a deep ovenproof dish (about 8x10 inches/20x25 cm) instead.

Serve & Enjoy!

Top with a little chopped fresh parsley (optional) and enjoy!

Notes

Instead of using a cast iron skillet, you can also make the Tamale base in a large nonstick pan and then transfer it to a baking dish when assembling the Tamale pie.
Cornflour: polenta (cornmeal) can also be used, but should be blended once cooked in order to achieve the ideal creamy and smooth texture. Cornflour is therefore ideal. Important: in the U.K., 'cornflour' refers to what is known in the U.S. as 'cornstarch' (it's white and starchy). It's not the same and cannot be used instead. (TIP: Refer to the ingredient photos in the article above if you're unsure.)

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