Quick Quesadillas

I love Mexican food but needless to say it’s in fairly short supply here in Israel.  One of the things I like most about Quesadillas is that they are great when you're looking to make quick a lunch or dinners.  Plus as an added bonus they look great, are tasty and filling.

Don't worry if you aren't familiar with Mexican cuisine, while quesadillas might sound exotic they are basically the Mexican version of a grilled cheese sandwich. So, don't be afraid to give them a try.

INGREDIENTS

Large flour tortillas (You can them at Deal v Zol on Dolev & at Chemdat Ha Teva)

Grated cheese

Olive oil or grapeseed oil

Filling Options:

Sliced mushrooms

Spinach

Green onions

Black olives, sliced

Fresh tomatoes, diced

Salsa (mild, medium or hot whichever you prefer)

DIRECTIONS

1.) Heat up your frying pan over medium high heat. Add a small amount of oil (about 1/2 teaspoon) and spread it around the bottom of the pan with a spatula (alternatively you can use butter). Take one large flour tortilla and place it in the pan. Flip the tortilla over a few times, 10 seconds between flips. Air pockets should begin to form within the tortilla.

2.) When pockets of air begin to form, take a handful of grated cheese, sprinkle over the top of the tortilla, making sure that the cheese does not land on the pan itself. Add whatever additional ingredients you choose – green onion, sliced mushrooms, olives, spinach, tomatoes, etc.  I always put some salsa in mine but if you don’t like it too spicy then cheese and fresh tomatoes tastes great as well.  Take care not to layer on the ingredients to thickly or they’ll fall out and make a mess in the pan.

3.) Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. The pan should still be hot enough to melt the cheese and brown the tortilla even though the temperature has been lowered.  If the quesadilla begins to smoke too much, remove the pan from the heat. After a minute, check to see if the cheese is melted. If not, return the cover and keep checking every minute until the cheese is melted. When the cheese is sufficiently melted, use a spatula to lift up one side of the quesadilla and flip over the other side, as if you were making an omelette. The tortilla should by now be browned slightly. If it is not browned, turn the heat up to high and flip the quesadilla over every 10 seconds or so until it gets browned. Remove from pan and cut into wedges.

You can serve the quesadilla with extra salsa and guacamole.