Cookbook | Ingredients | Recipes

| Appetizers | Mexico | Southwestern U.S. cuisine | Tex-Mex cuisine

Similar to a sandwich, the amount of ingredients for a quesadilla depends on how many you are serving and how big you want to make a particular quesadilla. Here are ingredients for one serving using the typical size of tortillas most commonly available in stores in the southwestern U.S. (and in many other areas and countries). Other locally available thin flat breads may work instead of work of tortillas, but, please know, the tortillas are intended to be similar to a 'wrap' to allow the eating of the filling.

Ingredients

• 2 flour tortilla, 6" (15cm), corn tortillas can be used in a pinch at home, but may not hold together or work as well as flour.
• 1/3 cup meltable cheese (preferably Monterey Jack and Cheddar blend or use Tex Mex cheese mix if available)
• 1/4 cup Filling (see below)
• Cooking Spray

Procedure

1. Warm both tortillas in the microwave to the point of flexibility, at least, keeping one warm.
2. Preheat a frying pan or griddle (medium-low heat), seasoned with oil or cooking spray. Drop in the first tortilla.
3. Drop on it shredded cheese (typically Monterey Jack cheese).
4. Quickly add, and spread out, almost to the edges, any combination of the fillings listed below (or whatever additional ingredients you would like), ideally warmed and very well drained.
5. Allow the cheese to melt. The tortilla may brown in spots but it should not be cooked to the point of changing color substantially.
6. Press the other tortilla over the top of the tortilla in the pan, making sure it sticks a bit.
7. Flip the quesadilla and allow to warm until it joins as a unit.
8. Remove from pan, cut in 1/8ths.
9. Eat immediately, or, if you need to serve a bigger group, remove to a fairly low temperature 'keep warm' area, below the melting temperature of the

cheese.

Quesadillas are not usually not very good re-heated.

Fillings

• salsa
• sarza criolla
• chili peppers
• Chopped tomatoes and cilantro
• Cooked meat or seafood
• Fresh spinach--washed and torn into small pieces
• Black beans--canned, rinsed and well drained
• A fairly traditional filling would be grilled chicken, beef or pork, finely minced, sprinkled with a teaspoon of finely minced onion and half of teaspoon of cilantro, with a small amount of some lime squeezed on top.

Usage Note: Some regions of Mexico the quesadilla is a simple corn tortilla with cheese,non-fried.

Notes, tips, and variations

1. Crab Quesadillas with Mango Salsa