Mexican Lasagna

I used corn tortillas, ancho chili spiced ground beef, and cheddar cheese, to reinvent the classic Italian dish. (Re-fried black beans would have been a great addition.) A few secrets to success: crisp the tortillas quick in a frying pan before baking, use dried ancho chiles for bold but not too spicy flavor, and use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream to complement the flavors.    

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
4-6 corn tortillas
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef
2 dried ancho chiles, ground (or 1 tablespoon chili powder)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon honey
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup salsa
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions
Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large frying pan. When hot, place two of the tortillas in the pan and heat for 1-2 minutes on each side until they begin to brown. Place on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Add a little more oil to the pan and brown the remaining tortillas two at a time. Slice each tortilla in half and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In the same pan, add the onions and red pepper, and saute until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and ancho chili powder and cook for 1 more minute. Push the vegetables to the side and brown the ground beef in the center of the pan, stirring often to break it up into crumbles. Add the tomato paste, lime juice, and honey. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Cover the bottom of a 9 by 9 inch baking pan with half of the tortilla pieces. Add half of the ground beef mixture and spread evenly. Top with half of the salsa, then half of the grated cheese. Add the remaining tortilla pieces, meat, salsa, and cheese and place in the oven for 25 minutes.

Serve with guacamole (you can find my recipe here), Greek yogurt, salsa, lettuce, and tomatoes.