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Zucchini-Blossom Quesadillas

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Zucchini-Blossom Quesadillas Romulo Yanes
  • Active Time

    1 hr

  • Total Time

    1 hr

Though many of us associate quesadillas with flour tortillas, in Mexico they're often made with uncooked corn tortillas that are folded in half around a filling like a turnover, then cooked on a griddle or fried. Here, we've enclosed delicate zucchini blossoms, tomatoes, onions, and Oaxacan string cheese.

Ingredients

Makes about 14 quesadillas

3/4 cup chopped white onion
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium tomato, chopped
6 ounces zucchini blossoms, coarsely chopped (3 cups)
2 cups corn tortilla flour (masa harina; 9 ounces)
1 1/2 cups warm water
7 ounces Oaxacan string cheese, shredded
Equipment: 2 (6-inch) squares cut from a 1-quarts sealable plastic bag; a tortilla press; a comal (flat metal griddle) or metal pizza pan (not nonstick)
Accompaniment:salsa
  1. Step 1

    Cook onion, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until onion is softened. Add tomato and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomato breaks down, 3 to 5 minutes. Add blossoms and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes.

    Step 2

    Combine tortilla flour, water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and knead until a uniform dough forms, about 1 minute.

    Step 3

    Pinch off enough dough to form a 1 1/2-inch ball and transfer to a plate; dough should be moist but not sticky. If necessary, knead in a little more tortilla flour or water. Form remaining dough into about 13 (1 1/2-inch) balls, transferring to plate, and cover with plastic wrap.

    Step 4

    Press 1 ball of dough between plastic squares in tortilla press to form a 5 1/2- to 6-inch tortilla (less than 1D16 inch thick). Peel off 1 plastic square, then, holding tortilla in your palm, put 1 rounded tablespoon cheese (1/2 ounce) on one side of tortilla and spread 1 rounded tablespoon filling in a flat layer over cheese, leaving a 3/4-inch border. Fold tortilla in half, using plastic square as an aid, and pinch edges to seal, flattening slightly.

    Step 5

    Make more quesadillas in same manner, arranging them in 1 layer and covering with plastic wrap.

    Step 6

    Very lightly oil comal (or pizza pan), then heat over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Cook quesadillas, 3 at a time, until edges loosen from comal and brown spots appear on underside, 2 to 4 minutes, then turn over and cook, gently pressing quesadillas flat with a metal spatula if necessary, until brown spots appear on underside, 2 to 4 minutes more. Serve immediately with salsa on the side.

Cooks' note:

Filling can be made 1 day ahead and cooled, uncovered, then chilled, covered.

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  • These are great authentic tacos made even easier by going to the local tortilleria for super fresh corn tortillas. Just the cheese and uncooked zucchini blossoms cooked over the comal are great.

    • michitom

    • puerto vallarta

    • 3/29/2008

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