Page 185 - Pie Squared

Guaranteed. Butter a ramekin and pour that extra bit in to bake up
for a cook’s snack. Bake it next to the pie for 23 to 25 minutes, until

browned and pulling away from the edge of the ramekin.)
To fill the pie: Layer on top of the cornbread batter in this order:
carnitas, scallions, tomato, and black beans. Sprinkle half the
cheese evenly across the pie, top with half the crushed chips,

another layer of cheese, and another layer of chips. Garnish with
jalapeños, if desired. Slide the pie into the oven (on top of the steel,
stone, or baking sheet if using) and bake for 23 to 25 minutes, until
the cheese is bubbling and the cornbread is pulling away from the

edges of the pan.
Decorate this pie with a flourish. Drizzle sour cream and scatter
radishes and avocados across the surface. Serve pico de gallo and
hot sauce on the side.

Techniques: Cornbread Crust (here), Crushes (here)

Swaps:

Fully cooked shredded chicken, turkey, or brisket can substitute for

the carnitas.

Omit the meat altogether and add refried beans, pintos, or more
black beans.

Use crushed Fritos, Doritos, or Bugles instead of tortilla chips.

PORK CARNITAS

Makes about 4½ cups

A whole bone-in pork shoulder is party food that serves an army. I
reserve those Flintstone-sized pieces for barbecue champions. My
preferred shoulder cut is the Boston butt—a strong-muscled cut

about half the weight of a whole shoulder—boneless because it’s
easier to cube. The shoulder meat is dense with a firm, white fat cap