Quesadilla
Technically, this isn't a Quesadilla. It's a Sycronizada.
The Italians learned that you can take pretty much one recipe for pasta dough, meld it into different shapes, and create a vast array of varying dishes with different names using essentially the same ingredients. Think about Spaghetti, Penne, Linguine, Fettuccine and Rigatoni - all made from the same thing. In fact, there are more than 300 varieties of pasta throughout Italian cuisine, all made essentially with the same pasta dough recipe.
It would seem the Spaniards, as they left the peninsula of Mexico, took the same approach with corn, and later flour tortillas. Fill a tortilla with something, fold it in half and it's called a Taco. Roll it up and put it in a casserole topped with cheese and it's called an Enchilada. Cut it into quarters and fry it and they're called Tostadas. Roll it up and deep fry it and its called a Flauta, but only if it's a flour tortilla. If it's a corn tortilla, it's called a Taquito. Take a large flour tortilla and fill it with Refried Beans and any number of other ingredients and it's called a Burrito. Deep fry it, and it's called a Chimichanga. The variations on the same theme are seemingly endless.
A Quesadilla is invariably made from a flour tortilla which is placed on a griddle, topped with cheese and perhaps some other ingredients, like ground beef or chicken, then once grilled and hot, it's folded over and cut into thirds. "Quesadilla" literally translates to "little cheesy thing" in Spanish, so cheese is obviously a given.
Unless you're in Mexico City.
For an inexplicable reason, cheese is not assumed to come with a Quesadilla in Mexico City unless specifically requested. No one can explain this cultural phenomenon.
Moreover, if you take two flour tortillas and put one on a griddle, then top it with cheese and perhaps some other ingredients, then top that with another flour tortilla; flip it so it browns on both sides, then cut it like a pizza into sixths, that is not called a Quesadilla. It's called a Sincronizada, which means "synchronized" in Spanish.
Well, that's what this is, but we still call it a Quesadilla.
This recipe is more about technique than the ingredients which can be endless. However, we usually like grilled chicken in ours, served with sour cream and salsa on the side, and the Kitchen Tapestry recipe for Guacamole Salad or Mexican Cole Slaw.
You need a skillet with a non-stick surface large enough to accommodate your flour tortillas, which are generally sold in diameters that are not defined by numerical means, but by definition of sizes for Soft Tacos (about 8"), Fajitas (about 8" but slightly thicker than Soft Tacos), Burritos (about 10") and Wraps (about 12"). We generally go with Burrito sized.
This recipe makes one Quesadilla, which is enough for two people as an appetizer or one person as an entree. As a rule, I am making this for dinner, so I simply use two skillets and make two Quesadilla simultaneously.
For an Easy Chicken Quesadilla
Generally, we like Chicken Quesadillas and will use leftover rotisserie chicken or this product, Tyson Grilled & Ready Oven Roasted Diced Chicken. It’s easily microwaved, has a resealable pouch container and a long shelf-life, not to mention that it’s delicious. Whatever ingredients you choose to put in your Quesadilla, aside from the cheese, make sure it has been prepared and warmed through. In the recipe below are some optional ingredients that you can add to your Quesadilla, which of course, can also be made with ground beef or pork. In fact, a ground beef Quesadilla is a great way to use up leftover taco meat.
Quesadilla
Ingredients
- 2 10" flour tortillas
- 4 oz shredded sharp cheddar, about a cup (like, Sargento)
- 3 oz cooked chicken, ground beef or shredded pork
- Any optional ingredients (see Section below)
- non-stick cooking spray (like, Pam)
- grilled onions
- grilled green & red bell peppers
- sliced jalapeño peppers
- sautéed mushrooms
- corn & black beans
- diced green chilies
Instructions
- Heat up any ingredients (besides the cheese) that you might prefer on your Quesadilla by cooking or warming in the microwave.
- Set your stove on medium heat.
- Spray a small amount of non-stick spray on the skillet surface and allow the pan to warm up for 5 minutes.
- Place the first flour tortilla in the skillet and add the cheese, spreading it evenly over the surface.
- Place any other ingredients that you prefer on your Quesadilla, and then place the second flour tortilla on top.
- Using the palm of your hand, press down firmly to flatten out the ingredients.
- Allow the Quesadilla to sit undisturbed for 5-8 minutes.
- Test the temperature of the top tortilla by placing your palm on it. Once the top tortilla begins to warm up, use a spatula to take a peek at the bottom of the lower tortilla. If the bottom tortilla has shrunk in diameter slightly and is showing some browning, the Quesadilla is ready to be flipped.
- Using a large spatula, quickly flip the Quesadilla. Allow to sit undisturbed for another 5-8 minutes or until you notice the now bottom tortilla has similarly shrunk in diameter a little.
- When you can pick up the Quesadilla with a spatula and it does not bend, and the cheese has sealed both tortillas together, the Quesadilla is ready to eat.
- Remove it to a cutting board and with a very sharp knife, slice the Quesadilla into six even wedges.
- Serve with sour cream, salsa and the Kitchen Tapestry recipe for Guacamole.
