One of the great things about pasta is not just its inherent great taste, but its versatility. Because of the variety of shapes it can take on, and its sturdy structure, it can be stuffed with meat or smothered in meat sauce. Bacon, beef, lamb, chicken… they all go great with pasta, in the noodle or over the top in a tasty goo.

It could be something as simple as a fine spaghetti sauce of tomato paste, ground beef and mushrooms with a little basil and garlic powder. But it serves equally well in a delicious Mexican lasagna. Here’s how….

You’ll need as ingredients

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
15 oz black beans
1 1/2 cups corn
1 1/2 cups Mexican cheese
1/2 cup chopped tomato
9 corn tortillas

and

1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons cilantro
10 oz enchilada sauce

While the oven is heating to 350°F/176°C you can prepare your ingredients. Chop the tomato, grate the Mexican cheese, let the corn thaw and dice up the cilantro. Heat a skillet to medium heat. While you’re waiting for that…

Spray a baking dish about 12in x 7in x 2in with non-stick olive oil. Arrange tortillas in the dish to cover the entire bottom surface with a small amount lapping up the sides. Spread 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce over the tortillas.

Now that the skillet is heated, brown the ground beef over medium heat for about 10 minutes and pour off the grease. Stir in the enchilada sauce, then fold in the black beans, corn and cumin. Bring the mixture to a quiet boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for a few minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking to the pan.

Once done, pour about a third of the mixture into the baking dish, then top with cheese. Pour another layer, top, and repeat until you’re out of mixture. Then cover the top layer with enchilada sauce.

Cover the top with a glass lid or aluminum foil and bake at 350°F/176°C for half an hour. Slide the dish out of the oven and remove the lid or foil, then top with a sprinkle of cheese. Bake it for another five minutes, or just let the dish sit in the oven while the cheese melts.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle a little cilantro over the top. For a slightly spicier concoction, dash a little cayenne pepper lightly around.

The result serves about 6 and each serving provides a nutritious meal of about 465 calories with 35g of protein. Though the recipe has a relatively high fat percentage (about 1/3 of the calories), with nearly 840mg of sodium, it is high in folic acid (102mcg). It also contains 6mg of niacin (vitamin B3), 5.7mg each of iron and zinc and 1.7mcg of B12. Calories can be reduced by using leaner beef or serving smaller portions.

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