Layered Tortilla Nacho Bake

Ingredients

Tick the ingredients as you go

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion (brown, yellow or white), diced
• 2 garlic cloves
• 13 oz / 400 g ground beef (lean is best)
• 1 oz / 28 g packet taco seasoning, or homemade (see Notes)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 700 g / 24 oz tomato passata (or puréed canned tomatoes)
• 1/2 cup water
• 14 oz / 400 g canned red kidney beans (or other beans), drained
• 3 to 4 soft flour or corn tortillas
• 1 cup grated mozzarella or other melting cheese
• 2 oz / 70 g corn chips

Fresh salsa (pico de gallo, optional)

• 1/2 avocado, diced
• 1 large tomato, seeds removed, diced
• 1/4 red onion, diced
• 2 tbsp lime juice (fresh or bottled)
• 3 tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper

To serve

• Sour cream

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.

2. 2

   For the filling, warm the oil in a large skillet over high heat.

3. 3

   Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion turns translucent.

4. 4

   Add the beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until browned; sprinkle in the taco seasoning and pepper when it is about halfway there.

5. 5

   Stir in the passata, water and beans and let it bubble for 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until slightly thickened but still very saucy. Take off the heat.

6. 6

   To assemble, lay one tortilla in the base of a 24 cm / 9-inch pie dish. Using a slotted spoon so most of the sauce stays behind, spread a little under half of the meat over it.

   
7. 7

   Cover with a second tortilla, filling any gaps with torn pieces so the layer is complete.

9. 8

   Spoon over the rest of the meat with the slotted spoon, again leaving the sauce in the pan.

10. 9

    Lay on the remaining tortillas, then pour all the leftover sauce and any stray bits of meat over the top.

11. 10

    Bake for 20 minutes (set the dish on a baking tray if you think it might bubble over).

12. 11

    Take it out, cover the top with corn chips and scatter the cheese over. Return to the oven for 10-15 minutes, until the chips are golden and the cheese has melted.

    
13. 12

    Spoon the salsa over the top and serve with sour cream on the side.

14. 13

    For the salsa, simply toss everything together in a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.