This perennial family favorite starts on the stovetop with a rich, savory filling of ground beef, cheese, beans, onions, corn, and tomatoes, and finishes in the oven, topped with a buttery, baked polenta-style crust.
Heat a large, heavy, oven-safe skillet over MEDIUM-HIGH for 2-3 minutes. Add the corn and chopped onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes; until the onion is just beginning to turn translucent and some of the corn kernels are beginning to show a little color.
Add the ground meat, breaking it up into the corn and onion mixture.
Cook until the ground meat is thoroughly browned, and then add the beans and garlic to the mixture and cook for 2 minutes more.
Reduce the temperature to LOW, and add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chopped olives, and chili powder.
Stir thoroughly; then simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Note:This tamale pie filling can be made ahead up to this point and refrigerated or frozen for later use. To use, simply reheat in skillet and proceed to the next step.
Add 2 cups of grated cheese (2 ounces) to the mixture. Stir filling mixture to incorporate cheese.
Season to taste.
Make the Cornmeal Topping
While the filling is simmering, make the topping.Pour the cold water, salt, and yellow cornmeal into a medium saucepan. Set the heat to MEDIUM-LOW, and cook, whisking almost constantly, until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of Cream of Wheat or grits.
Once thickened, remove the cornmeal mixture from the heat. Using a wooden spoon, stir in 1 cup of grated cheese, and two tablespoons each maple syrup and melted butter, until they are thoroughly combined.
Carefully spread the cornmeal mixture over the hot tamale pie filling. In a 12-inch skillet, the cornmeal layer will be about a half-inch thick.
Bake the Tamale Pie
Preheat oven to 375°F [190°C].
Place the prepared tamale pie in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. If you would like your tamale pie to be golden brown on the top, place it under the broiler for about 4 minutes. (Keep an eye on it: a broiler can take a dish from warm and caramelized to black and smoldering in just a few minutes.)
When you take it out of the oven, the top may be very loose. Don't worry! Allow the baked tamale pie to rest and cool for 20-30 minutes before eating. The polenta will thicken measurably as it cools.
Garnish with chopped cilantro, cotija cheese, and a little lime zest.
Notes
Tamale pie filling can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen for later use. It's important that the filling be very warm (if not hot) when you put the topping on and then bake it. Do not use cold filling! If you make the filling ahead of time, or it has gotten very cool while you prepared the topping, reheat it before proceeding.We make this in our 12-inch cast-iron casserole dish, because it goes so easily from stovetop to oven to table.