Tarta de choclo is a staple of Argentine home cooking: it combines a crisp crust with a creamy corn, cream cheese, and egg filling, perfect for any meal of the day.
It’s a simple, budget-friendly dish that can be made with either fresh or canned corn without losing its characteristic texture.
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Argentine Sweet Corn Pie
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Argentine
Ingredients
Nutrition
- Calories: 240
Ingredients
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour (for the dough)
- 1 teaspoon of salt (for the dough)
- 1/3 cup of oil (for the dough)
- as needed of cold water (for the dough)
- 1 of onion, chopped
- 1 of leek, chopped (optional)
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 3 cans of corn, drained (or fresh corn kernels)
- 200 g of cream cheese (about 7 oz)
- 3 of eggs
- to taste of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Make the dough, mix the flour with salt, add the oil and cold water gradually until you get a soft, elastic dough. Let it rest.
- Cook the onion, in a skillet with olive oil, cook the chopped onion and leek for about 2 minutes.
- Process part of the corn, process one can of corn until creamy, keeping the rest of the kernels whole.
- Mix the filling, combine the processed corn with the whole kernels and the cooked onion, season with salt and pepper, and let cool.
- Add cheese and eggs, in another bowl, mix the cream cheese with the eggs until combined, and stir this into the corn mixture.
- Assemble the pie, roll out the dough and line a pie dish sprayed with oil. Pour the corn filling over it.
- Bake, cook in a preheated oven at 180°C (355°F) for about 40 minutes, until golden and set.
Tips for getting it right
- Processing only part of the corn and leaving the rest whole gives the pie a more interesting texture.
- Drain canned corn well before using it so the filling doesn’t come out too watery.
- Letting the corn filling cool before mixing it with the cheese and eggs keeps them from cooking prematurely.
- Fresh corn kernels can be used instead of canned, without changing the rest of the recipe.
Traditional variations
- Some versions add grated cheese on top before baking for a more golden surface.
- It’s also made without a crust, like a kind of pudding, pouring the filling directly into an oiled dish.
How to serve
Tarta de choclo is served warm or at room temperature, cut into slices, as a main dish or appetizer.
It’s great paired with a fresh green salad.
Recommended sides
- Green leaf salad
- Salsa criolla
- Crusty bread
Did you know?
Tarta de choclo is a dish shared by several South American countries, including Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela, each with its own variations.
Its combination of fresh or canned corn with cream cheese makes it a versatile recipe, both budget-friendly and filling for the whole family.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, canned corn can be replaced with fresh corn kernels, keeping the rest of the recipe the same.
Processing part of it and leaving the rest whole gives the filling a more interesting texture, combining creaminess with whole kernel bites.
Generally about 40 minutes at 180°C (355°F), until the surface is golden and the filling is set.
Yes, there's a crustless version, similar to a pudding, made by pouring the filling directly into an oiled dish.
