This one is vegetarian, and delicious (note that the cheese topping can always be left off for those who don't eat dairy products).

FILLING

1 chopped onion
1 clove of garlic, whole
1 Tbsp. oil
2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 C. cooked or canned kidney beans or pinto (borlotti) beans, or a mixture of both
1 tsp salt (for extra flavor, use packaged seasoned salt)
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 C. sliced black olives (optional)
1/2 C. cooked corn

Mash beans in a bowl with a fork. Set aside.

Sauté onion and garlic in oil over medium-high heat. When nearly soft, add chili powder and cumin, and crush the garlic with a fork. Continue to cook and stir until the spices are richly fragrant and the onions are soft.

Add mashed beans to the onion mixture and stir well, then add the tomato paste and stir throughout, then add the remaining filling ingredients. Heat through and remove from heat, and if you like take a moment to taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning. If the mixture is too thick (you'll have to decide that for yourself), add a little warm water and more tomato paste, a bit at a time, until it's a little thinner. Set aside.

CRUST

1 C. cold water
2 C. boiling water
1 1/2 c. cornmeal (polenta)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 c. grated cheddar or jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).

In a small bowl, stir cornmeal (polenta) slowly into the cold water. On the stove, bring the remaining water to scalding. Slowly stir the cornmeal mixture into the hot water, stirring constantly. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture becomes thick enough to spread (about the consitency of dough or peanut butter), adding salt and chili powder once mixture comes to a boil. Note: you MUST stir pretty much constantly or the mixture will burn and stick to the pan.

Grease an 8" x 8" (approx 20cm x 20cm) baking pan. Spread 2/3 of the thickened cornmeal mixture over the bottom and sides of the pan (don't worry if it's sloppy; it won't matter that much with the finished dish). Pour filling mixture into the cornmeal crust and spread very gently so that it's even. Drop remaining cornmeal mixture on top of the filling, spreading very gently to even. Don't worry if it doesn't completely cover the top. Sprinkle cheese on top of the dish and bake in preheated oven for thirty minutes.

This makes four generous servings, but if you serve it with a green salad, you can easily stretch it to feed six people comfortably. It does reheat very nicely in the microwave and is yummy for lunch the next day.

Variations: Sprinkle more cheese on the bottom crust before you add the filling. You can also use a pound (0.5 kilos) of lean ground beef in place of the beans. To do this, brown the ground beef, and place cooked meat on a paper towel on a plate to drain. Then follow the recipe as usual, cooking the onion and garlic, etc. When it says to add the beans, add the beef, instead.

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