Masa Quesadillas With Cheese Food

CHEESE QUESADILLA

Steps:

• Heat a large nonstick skillet or comal over low-medium heat. Heat the tortillas slightly, flipping them over every 10 seconds, until they're easily foldable and pliable.
• Evenly divide the cheese and sprinkle it onto one half of each tortilla. Generously season with salt.
• Fold the tortillas over the cheese to create a half-moon shape.
• Cook the quesadillas for 1-2 minutes, or until one side of the quesadilla is golden-brown. You may have to press down lightly on the tops of the quesadillas with a spatula to prevent the tortillas from opening up.
• Flip over and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until golden-brown and the cheese has fully melted.
• Serve immediately as is, or cut them in half and serve with sour cream, pico and your favorite salsa.

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.