Frito Pie: Youth Remembered

Frito Pie.  Many nights in my youth we had Frito Pie.  It must have been cheap and easy.  With five children to feed, my mother must have always sought the cheap and easy.  I experimented last evening and I can tell you it is fairly easy to make but not as inexpensive.  My husband and sister were the guinea pigs.

10.5 oz. bag of Fritoes

 A 10 1/2 oz. bag of original Fritos is just under $ 4.00.  Now that is not a lot of Fritos as they are always opened before dinner time and many are missing.  I have never found a substitute for this snack food.  I always fear the company will stop making this size and when they do we will not only not have Frito Pie anymore, but chilli dinners will never be the same.  Actually, chilli with Fritos is almost Frito Pie.

Why I decided to make Frito Pie in the middle of summer?  I have no answer for that beyond nostalgia.  It has been rainy here for two weeks so at least the sky provided the correct atmosphere and air conditioning provided cold air.

Meat part cooking.

 Both my husband and my sister were delighted with the results and we had a good conversation about foods we had as we were growing up.  Food seemed to be the center of every memory.

Frito Pie complete with meat mixture, Fritos, and grated cheese.

 We usually have wine with dinner but I could not come up with a red that was suitable so those that drink it, had a beer and I had a water. Might try a Malbec or Old Vine Zin this winter.  Definitely will be using this recipe again when the leaves turn and the weather gets crispy.



Frito Pie

2 lbs ground chuck
1 14 oz. can tomato sauce
1 can green chillies and tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
2 Tbl chilli powder ( I use more0
1 Tbl cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup masa or regular corn meal
1/2 cup water

Brown ground meat with onion and garlic.  Add tomato sauce, tomatoes and green chillies, chilli powder, cumin, oregano and salt and simmer covered for 30 minutes.

Rinse and drain beans.  Add to mixture and simmer another 20 minutes.  

Combine corn meal and warm water and stir and add to mixture and simmer for 10 or 15 minutes.

Pour mixture over Fritos and top with grated sharp cheddar cheese.  Do not use cheese that has already been grated because it will not have good flavor.  More Fritos over top with cheese.

If you are feeding more than four people have at least two bags of original Fritos on hand.


Enjoy.