Salsa Verde:
Wash the tomatillos and place them in a small saucepan. Cover with the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the tomatillos just begin to soften. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

Roast the poblano pepper over an open flame or under the broiler to blacken the skin. Wrap in plastic wrap, or place in a plastic bag, seal, and steam for 15 minutes. Remove the plastic and then remove the blackened skin, seeds, and stem, and discard.

Place the tomatillos, chicken broth, poblano, onion, garlic, and cilantro in the container of a blender. Blend until the vegetables are finely chopped.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot add the contents of the blender. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Pickled Onions:
Peel and thinly slice the onion. Place the onion rings in a small bowl. Add just enough vinegar to barely cover the onions. Remove and discard the seeds and stems of the ancho chile. Cut it into julienne strips, add to the onion and vinegar, and stir to mix. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature to marinate and absorb color of the chile for at least 30 minutes. It will dye the onions a rosy pink color as well as flavor them. Stir the onions from time to time to evenly distribute the chile and the vinegar.

Fried Tortillas:
Tear or cut the tortillas into quarters. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the tortillas in batches. Be careful not crowd the pan. Add some of the tortillas when the oil is hot. Fry the tortillas for about 2 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy and remove with a skimmer, slotted spoon, or tongs to paper towels to drain. Repeat until all of the tortillas are fried.

Preheat the oven to 350º. Lightly oil a terra cotta, ceramic, or glass baking dish about 10 to 12 inches in diameter. Place a layer of fried tortilla pieces in the bottom of the baking dish, cover with some of each of the two cheeses, and spoon some of the Salsa Verde over the cheese. Repeat the layers until all of the ingredients are used and the dish is filled. The final layer should be the sauce. Cover with aluminum foil. Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

To serve the chilaquiles, top with the pickled onions and a dollop of sour cream.

Recipe by

Mozzarella Company located in Texas. The Mozzarella Company produces award winning artisanal cheeses available online or through retail stores. You can also call: 1-800-798-2954. Copyright. The Cheese Lover’s Cookbook & Guide by Paula Lambert, 2000