Masa Quesadillas With Cheese Recipes

CHEESE QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• Lay out 3 tortillas on a cutting board. Combine the cheddar and Monterey Jack in a small bowl. Spread a third of the cheese on each tortilla, leaving a 1-inch edge. Place the remaining 3 tortillas on top.
• Melt 1/2 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch omelet pan set over medium heat, and add one filled tortilla. Cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip with a spatula, and add another 1/2 tablespoon butter. Cook until browned and cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer to a cutting board. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
• Cut cooked tortillas into eighths; serve immediately with salsa, if desired.

MASA QUESADILLAS WITH CHEESE

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the dough. Then, dampen your hands with water, and mix the dough with the salt, working it very well until soft. Form the dough into 16 small balls of equal size. Using a tortilla press, put 1 piece of plastic on the open press and lay 1 ball in the center. Put a second piece of plastic on top of the dough, and lower the handle to press out a 3 1/2- to 4-inch circle. Peel off the top piece of plastic. 2. Put a small slice of cheese on 1/2 of the circle, but not too close to the edge. Add a few shreds of epazote or cilantro and about 3 thin slices of serrano on top. Lift the plastic and gently fold the dough together so that the edges meet. Press to seal the edges together, and peel off the plastic. Put the filled quesadilla on a lightly floured baking pan, and cover to prevent drying out. Repeat with the remaining dough. 3. Heat oil to a depth of 1/4 inch in a medium skillet until it shimmers. Fry the quesadillas, 2 at a time, until golden brown on both sides, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and serve at once. From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

FRIED QUESADILLAS WITH TWO FILLINGS

Steps:

• Make mushroom filling:
• Cook onion in butter in a medium nonstick skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened.
• Pulse mushrooms in a food processor until coarsely chopped and add to onion along with epazote and salt.
• Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until mushrooms are softened and any liquid is evaporated, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and cool filling completely.
• Make masa and form quesadillas:
• Stir together masa harina, salt, and warm water in a large bowl with a wooden spoon until it forms a dough. Knead dough in bowl with heel of your hand 1 to 2 minutes.
• Pinch off small pieces of dough and roll into about 40 (scant 1-inch) balls. Transfer balls as formed to a plastic-wrap-lined tray and cover with more plastic wrap.
• Cut 2 (5-inch) squares from a small plastic bag and use 1 to line lower half of tortilla press. Put a ball of dough in tortilla press and top with second square of plastic. Close tortilla press, pushing gently on lever to flatten dough to a 2 1/2- to 3-inch round. If press doesn't flatten evenly, rotate tortilla 180 degrees and gently flatten again. (Alternatively, use rolling pin to flatten dough between squares of plastic.)
• Remove top square of plastic and put 1 teaspoon mushroom filling, or about 1 teaspoon crumbled queso fresco with 1/2 teaspoon crema and a piece of squash blossom, in center of round.
• Fold round, still in plastic, over filling to form a half-moon and pinch edges together to seal. Gently peel off plastic, then transfer quesadilla to another plastic-wrap-lined tray and cover with a second sheet of plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining dough, making about 20 quesadillas of each filling.
• Fry quesadillas:
• Heat 1 inch of oil in a deep 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until deep-fat thermometer registers 375°F, then deep-fry quesadillas in batches of 6 to 8, turning once or twice, until golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and return oil to 375°F before adding next batch.
• Serve quesadillas immediately.

CHEESY QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• Place the tortillas on a greased baking sheet. Combine the cheese and salsa; spread over half of each tortilla. Fold over. , Broil 4 in. from the heat for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Cut into wedges.

CORN MASA QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients and knead until well blended and easy to handle. Let rest for 10 minutes.
• Form tortilla-like circles in tortilla press.
• Fill with your favorite filling or leftovers (not runny) as for turnovers.
• Seal edges and fry in enough cooking oil. Drain excess grease.
• (Optional) Garnish with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, shaved onion, crumbled cheese, salsa and sour cream.

CHICKPEA QUESADILLAS WITH CHEESE

Steps:

• 1. In a medium bowl, mix the masa and water to a soft smooth dough. Mash the garbanzo beans to a coarse purée and mix with the masa dough. Add the chipotle salsa. Mix to a moist soft dough that does not stick to the hands. Just until the dough comes together, and is easy to manage, about 2 minutes. If sticky, add masa flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Form the dough into balls about large walnut size. Cover the balls with plastic wrap to prevent drying out. 2. Lay 1 plastic square on the bottom of a tortilla press, and place 1 dough ball in the center of the press. Put another plastic square on top of the ball. Gently press the tortilla handle to make a 3 1/2-inch circle. Remove the top plastic square. Put a small thin slice of cheese on half of the dough circle and lift the bottom plastic square and fold over to enclose the cheese inside the dough in a half moon shape. Seal the edges. Remove the plastic and place on a plate. Repeat pressing each dough ball between 2 plastic squares, then filling, folding, and removing the plastic square. 3. Heat oil to a depth of about 1/2 inch in a medium skillet. Fry each quesadilla in the hot oil until crisp and brown on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes total. Drain on paper towels. Serve the quesadillas at once. From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.