From the Demo: Day of the Dead with Maite Gomez-Rejón
Serves 8
Ingredients:
For the corn tortillas:
1 3/4 cups Maseca
2 tablespoons hot water
salt
tortilla press
For the filling:
olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped epazote leaves
salt and pepper
8 ounces Mexican melting cheese (quesillo or asadero), grated
Preparation:
For the tortillas:
1. Heat two griddles to two different temperatures – one over medium heat and the other over medium-high heat. �
2. Cut two squares of plastic to cover the plates of a tortilla press.
3. Knead the Maseca with just enough water to make it soft (like cookie dough) but not sticky.
4. Open the tortilla press and lay one square of plastic on the bottom plate. Scoop out a piece of dough about the size of a ping-pong ball, roll it into a ball and center it in the plastic. Cover with the second sheet of plastic wrap. Close the press and use the handle to flatten the ball into a disk. Open the press and peel off the pieces of plastic wrap. �
5. Lay the tortilla onto the cooler griddle. Bake for 15 to 30 seconds – just until the tortilla releases itself from the griddle. Flip to the hotter griddle and bake until brown underneath – 30 to 45 seconds. Turn again, leaving it on the hot side and bake for another 30 to 45 seconds. At this point the tortilla should puff up.
6. Transfer to a cloth-lined basket and continue making tortillas, stacking them and keeping them covered.
For the quesadillas:
1. Finely chop the onion and garlic.
2. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic and add the sliced mushrooms and chopped epazote.
2. Stir until the mushrooms have released their juices and simmer until all the liquid has evaporated. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
3. To form the quesadillas, heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Lightly brush one side of each tortilla with oil and lay it oiled side down on the hot griddle. Spread about 1/4 cup of the cheese and about 3 tablespoons of the mushroom filling in the center of each tortilla. When the cheese begins to melt, fold the tortilla in half. Cook, flipping every minute or so, until the cheese is completely melted. Serve warm.
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