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Quesadillas

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Time 20 to 25 minutes

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 flour tortillas (about 7 inches across)
  • 1 cup grated cheddar or Jack cheese
  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • 1 or 2 fresh jalapeño chiles, thinly sliced, optional
  • 1 cup fresh tomato (or any other) salsa for serving

Instructions

  1. Put 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, put a tortilla in the skillet. Top with a quarter of the cheese, scallions, and chiles if you’re using them.
  2. Cook until the cheese begins to soften a bit and the tortilla turns golden, 3 to 5 minutes; then fold the tortilla in half with a spatula. Flip with a spatula and cook until the cheese is just melted and both sides are toasted, another minute or two. Transfer the quesadilla to the prepared baking sheet to keep warm.
  3. Repeat the process with the remaining tortillas and fillings, starting with heating the oil. (The quesadillas will keep in the oven for up to 30 minutes.) Cut into wedges and serve with the salsa.

—Recipe from How to Cook Everything: The Basics

Recipe variations

5 Possible Additions to Quesadillas: You don’t want to overstuff the tortillas, but little bits of this or that adds extra flavor and texture. Figure up to 1/2 cup total—alone or  combined—from this list:

  1. Chopped black olives
  2. Sautéed mushrooms
  3. Cooked or canned black beans
  4. Chopped or shredded cooked chicken, beef, or pork
  5. Lump crabmeat or cooked shrimp