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Zucchini-Blossom Quesadillas | view more Recipe

Zucchini-Blossom 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. Cook onion, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until onion is softened
  2. Add tomato and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomato breaks down, 3 to 5 minutes
  3. Add blossoms and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes
  4. Combine tortilla flour, water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and knead until a uniform dough forms, about 1 minute
  5. Pinch off enough dough to form a 1 1/2-inch ball and transfer to a plate; dough should be moist but not sticky
  6. If necessary, knead in a little more tortilla flour or water
  7. Form remaining dough into about 13 (1 1/2-inch) balls, transferring to plate, and cover with plastic wrap
  8. 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)
  9. 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
  10. Fold tortilla in half, using plastic square as an aid, and pinch edges to seal, flattening slightly
  11. Make more quesadillas in same manner, arranging them in 1 layer and covering with plastic wrap
  12. Very lightly oil comal (or pizza pan), then heat over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes
  13. 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
  14. Serve immediately with salsa on the side