6:00 AM Mexico City, she is all dressed up ready for her office job, working at her own rhythm. Like someone that had mastered the small alley shape kitchen space after years of living there. I didn’t know she could cook, I knew her as the world traveler, elegant, Independent, single and professional aunt. But this time she surprised me. I asked her: What are you cooking? “I am making dinner: Pastel Azteca”, she said.
Mole Sauce Casserole | Pastel Azteca de Mole
It will be baked when I come back from work. At that moment, I made a mental note to myself to be there for dinner. How could someone miss it, If mole sauce was invited! That was more than 27 years ago and although this is not the authentic recipe for “Pastel Azteca”, in our home we still call it that way. And every time I prepared it, the time machine takes me back into that kitchen in Mexico City, to that particular morning and to Aunt E. preparing her “Mole Sauce Casserole”
How to make Mole Sauce Casserole
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Heat the sauce in a skillet until it is warm but not hot. The tortillas should be dry to have nice layers, they will soften while baking. These ones in the above picture were left in the oven racks overnight, with the oven OFF. This way, I do not have to fry them to keep its shape. They resemble lasagna sheets. (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Place a few spoons of the sauce to the bottom of your ovenproof dish. Add 3 tortillas and spoon some more of the sauce over the tortillas. Completely covering the tortillas with the sauce.
- Top the mole sauce with ⅓ of the chicken, cheese and onion slices. Repeat process to form the layers.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover during the last 10 minutes of the baking process.
Serve with a salad and enjoy!
¡Buen provecho!
Mely,
More recipes:
Green Mole / Mole Verde
Chunky Guacamole Recipe
Mole Sauce Casserole
Ingredients
- 9 Corn Tortillas at least one day old or left overnight in your kitchen counter to dry
- 2 cups of cooked chicken finely shredded
- 2 cups of homemade mole sauce. If using store bought paste made according to the instructions in the jar.
- 1 cup of shredded cheese mozzarella and muenster work fine*
- ⅓ of a large onion thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper to season the chicken
Instructions
- Preheat your oven at 350 degrees. Heat the sauce in a skillet until it is warm but not hot. The tortillas should be dry to have nice layers, they will soften while baking. These ones in the above picture where left in the oven racks overnight, with the oven OFF. This way, I do not have to fry them to keep its shape. They resemble lasagna sheets.
- Place a few spoons of the sauce to the bottom of your oven proof dish. Add 3 tortillas and spoon some more of the sauce over the tortillas. Completely covering the tortillas with the sauce.
- Top the mole sauce with ⅓ of the chicken, cheese and onion slices. Repeat process to form the layers.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover during the last 10 minutes of the baking process.
Lorri Ann
Delish! So glad I found your site, authentic Mexican food is a lost art, and forget about finding authentic restaurants!!
Becky Cantu
Hi Mely, I would like a recipe to make the dough from scratch for empanadas. Thank you enjoy your recipes Becky
mmartinez
Hello Becky,
Corn empanadas or wheat flour empanadas?
Here are two links: http://bit.ly/2LvdyVb
http://bit.ly/2Hds7ar
Sheila
Loved it, used store bought chicken. Thanks Mely
Karina
Delicioso! Can this be premade and popped into the oven later? Would love to do this for a posada!
mmartinez
Hello Karina,
You can do that, only be sure to use corn tortillas that will not break easily.
Pily
Pues cuántas cosas has hecho yno había visto!!!!!!!! éste pastel jamás lo he hecho, suena rico!! me gustan los pasteles aztecas!! fácil y rico!!
Saludos, again !! 😀
Jay
perfect & yummy...absolutely love it
MyCookingTime
Hola Mely, cómo me antojas con tus platillos. Yo preparo el pastel azteca pero con carne de cerdo deshebrada guisada con poblano en rajas, tomate,elote, queso y crema mmmmm
jushomecookin
I want to try Mole. It is just to much work for me to make homemade mole. I would like to know the best store bought brand I can substitute. I love your recipes. Pure authentic Mexican yummmy not the fake stuff. Thank you for sharing with us.
Mely
Hello jushomecookin,
Sorry I didn't get back to you before.
There is a good brand of homestyle Poblano mole paste here in the states. Comes in a plastic tube container, the name is Dona Susana.
Let me know where are you located, maybe I can help you find a supplier near you.
Mely
Jay
looks sooo good..love it..:
Mexico in my kitchen
Thanks for the invitation, I will stop by your place.
Mely
Ruth Sagrario Macotela
Que pases un Lindo dia de las madres, Mely!!!
XOXO
Ruth
Mexico in my kitchen
Hola Ruth and Prieta,
Gracias por pasar a saludar, por aqui ando "living la vida loca" 🙂
Prieta
Mely, donde andas? Te extrañamos! Espero que te encuentres bien. Solo pase a saludarte. XOXO
Aldy @ Al Dente Gourmet
Mely, Que sabroso! Y tu step by step pics son siempre una delicia de mirar. Y que bonita presentacion 🙂 Que tengas un hermosa semana!
Abrazotes <3
Ruth Sagrario Macotela
Wow! esta receta no me la sabia( como muchas otras jeje) creo que la voy a preparar este fin de semana, en la despensa siempre tengo un vasito de mole Dona Maria por si derepente se antoja.
Gracias Mely por tus deliciosas recetas como siempre!
XOXO
Ruth