Making quesadillas for the 4th of July
We had about 10 things going on so I have no photo of the finished product with the requisite gooey cheese and salsa. But, I am sure you can picture them. I served them with a very spicy salsa I made with avocado, tomatillos, cilantro, and jalapenos.
All you need is some masa (either fresh or prepared from masa harina) and some grated cheese. You can use a tortillas press or a rolling pin if you don’t have one. You can also try stuffing them with squash blossoms or refried beans in addition to the cheese.
The great thing about these quesadillas is that you can make a large batch and freeze some for later. They were sooooo good and gone in a flash.
Making the masa from masa harina (just follow the directions on the bag). If you don’t want to make it, you can get masa ground to order at Chicago Supermarket on Buford Highway in Pinetree Plaza.
In the press (she likes plastic wrap, but I prefer wax paper).
Filling with the grated cheese
Sealing them shut (they must be very well-closed or the cheese will ooze out during frying)
After blanching them, we drained on paper towels and then covered them with a cloth napkin. The last thing left to do is fry again and enjoy!
I’m sorry but don’t you mean Empanadas instead of Quesadilla, I know that there is a lot of confusion out there amongst chefs as is as to what constitutes a Quesadilla but just by looking at what you guys whipped up it comes across looking more like Cheese Empanadas (fried and crimped edges) versus Quesadillas (grilled/broiled, flour tortillas and folded over [at least what’s mostly sold in US restaurants]). Then again, a rose is still a rose called by any other name, enough about nomenclature, the “Quesadillas” looked really good and I’m sure must have tasted even better!
-R.
Nope, I don’t. Every time we go visit my family in Mexico, we go buy these quesadillas from a quesadilla shop and these type of stores call them quesadillas. We just bought a load of them on our last trip in May so I am cartan about this. I have grown up eating these.
Empanadas, which I love, are more of a Cuban thing (and I am sure other Latin countries have them as well) that are made with a flaky flour-based crust with various savory or sweet fillings. We never ate empanadas in Mexico when I was growing up or saw them out unless it was a sweet version at a panaderia.
Thanks for clarifying that, I appreciate it! As someone who only recently has started to discover Latin American food, I’m still learning… that brings us to the next question whats your favorite joint for Tacos (and why)?
-R.
No prob. I did a taqueria story a while back but have had problems uploading it for some reason. This file just does not like me. My faves are:
http://blissfulglutton.blogspot.com/2006/08/el-rey-de-taco-atlanta.
and
http://blissfulglutton.blogspot.com/2007/04/la-taqueria-oaxaquena-jonesboro.html
Thank you once again for your prompt response and for your suggestions for Taco Joints. We’ve been meaning to try out El Ray De Taco for some time, but we always get way laid by So Kong Dong and their soul pleasing Tofu Soup.
Btw, have you had a chance to try out Tacos Veloz (I like the Lengua and Pastor, really cheap eats) and Taqueria Los Hermanos (L’vlle Highway) (Good Pastor and the Tres Leches is to die for). I did a search through your blog but didn’t come up with anything. Wanted to know if you’ve had a chance to frequent these places and what your thoughts were on the same.
-R.
yea those are definitely emapanadas lol
sorry but they are…
what part of mexico do you visit???
real good tacos in mareitta are the 99cent tacos on the corner of favor rd and patmell rd.
and yeah those are empanadas you got there
Perhaps you should read my post and earlier responses. I did not visit Mexico…my entire family was born and raised in Mexico City–my Grandmother taught us how to make these quesadillas at a very young age. Sorry, but those are not empanadas.
Thanks for reading.
Jennifer
To anonymous, have you ever been to Mexico? I’m sorry, but you are wrong! These are quesadillas…they are made from fresh masa de miaz. Empanadas are made with a pastry dough that is rolled out, cut, stuffed, and crimped. Two very differents things. A lot of Americans think a quesadilla is a flour tortilla with cheese, but we do not traditionally eat that in Mexico. A quesadilla in Mexico is a fresh corn tortilla made from masa that is stuffed with different fillings and fried. So, what you see here is the real deal, FOR SURE! So there is the break down to set the record straight.
-M.