Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen
Texans and New Mexicans have locked horns for decades over who can lay claim to the irresistible creation that is Frito pie. Daisy Dean Doolin, the mother of Frito-Lay founder Charles Elmer Doolin, is often given credit for creating the dish as a way to use up leftovers in Texas in the 1930s, while a woman named Teresa Hernandez lays claim to inventing it at a Woolworth’s in New Mexico in the 1960s. The dish can also be found across the Midwest, where it’s sometimes called a “walking taco.” Whatever you make of its contested origins, there’s no debate about Frito pie’s appeal. Preparing it is a simple matter of topping a pile of corn chips with chili, cheddar, onions, sour cream, and sliced jalapeños. Serve it right inside the Fritos bag for the easiest, most festive presentation.
Featured in: “Our Most Mouthwatering Recipes for Super Bowl Sunday.”
Yield: 6 Time: 2 hours 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil 1 large white onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup) 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 Tbsp. chili powder 1 Tbsp. ground cumin 2 tsp. sweet paprika 1½ tsp. dried Mexican oregano 2 Tbsp. tomato paste 2 lb. ground beef 1 cup light beer 1 cup beef broth One 15.5-oz. can pinto beans, rinsed
