PrintCook the Book: Frito Pie
This one's kind of a tailgating classic, especially if served the original way—dumping chili directly into the Fritos bag, transforming the bag itself into the serving vessel. (Though I think "serving vessel" is a bit high-falutin' in this context.) And while only a lucky few may be tailgating at the Super Bowl this year, we can all make this at home and pretend.
Frito Pie
- makes 4 servings -
For the chili that this recipe calls for, you might try this recipe or this carne con chile. Adapted from The Tex-Mex Cookbook by Robb Walsh.
Ingredients
4 cups Fritos corn chips
2 1/2 cups chili con carne
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup jalapeño slices, optional
Procedure
1. Put the Fritos corn chips in the bottom of a small baking pan; spread the chili evenly over the top. Sprinkle with onions, cheddar, and jalapeños if desired.
2. Bake at 350ºF for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Use a spatula to transfer servings to a plate or bowl.
Variations
Original Frito Pie: Open a 1.75-ounce bag of Fritos corn chips. Into the bag, pour 1/2 cup chili, 1/4 cup shredded Cheddar, 1 tablespoon chopped onion, and a couple of jalapeño slices. Eat it out of the bag.
Taco Style: Top each serving with 1/2 cup shredded iceberg lettuce and a 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes.
New Mexican Frito Pie: Substitute Chile Colorado con Puerco for the chili con carne and top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and some chopped green onions.
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7 Comments:
Frito pie rules! I WANT THIS BOOK!
Lauren Krueger at 5:43PM on 01/29/08
Oh my lord, god bless frito pie! I want it NOW!
Robin Bellinger at 5:44PM on 01/29/08
In Cincinnati we used to have a "walking taco" with Skyline chili poured into a frito bag.
ChiefHDB at 7:57PM on 01/29/08
This is a Texan's breakfast! Ayyiii!
FM
franktex at 6:53AM on 01/30/08
When I was at Ohio State (late 1980's), one of everyone's favorite dining hall suppers was Texas Straw Hat: a handful of Fritos, a scoop of taco meat and a trip to the topping bar: cheese, sour cream, onions, salsa, taco sauce, etc.
For vegetarians, this works with TVP crumbles seasoned with taco seasoning, though RDH never offered a vegetarian option for Straw Hat when I was there.
jolene278 at 12:28PM on 01/30/08
Word of warning, y'all - the Fritos bags nowadays are not as substantial as they used to be. Having something more substantial in between the Frito Pie and your lap (or hands) is recommended, especially for younger diners.
Otherwise, as we all know in Texas already, Frito Pie is just one more proof God loves us.
texasdeb at 12:32PM on 01/30/08
On a layover in Dallas I saw my pilot-to-be eating a Frito Pie in the airport lounge at 8 in the morning!!! OMG I said, are you going to fly the plane after eating that for breakfast??? He just smiled, and with his best Texas drawl, said "Definitely, Ma'am".
LeeBee at 2:03PM on 01/30/08