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I N T R O D U C T I O N
by Ricardo Batista

You've heard about Quesadillas. You have probably seen them in restaurants where they take a flour tortilla, sprinkle cheese and perhaps ham in the middle and cook it somehow until the cheese melts. That may be fine for them but that is not how the real Mexican quesadillas are made.

Quesadillas in Mexico can be found outside movie theaters, stadiums, special events and many other places. Probably the most popular quesadilla is made with potato, with cheese and beans following in popularity. You can find all kinds of types of quesadillas, made with potatoes, cheese, chorizo, beans, green peppers (rajas) and other things.

In this recipe, we show you how to make real Mexican quesadillas with potatoes, chorizo, beans and even cheese (Queso).  This is the real thing.

The basic idea is to make a mixture which serves as the shell for the quesadilla, fill it in with something you like and fry it.

I N G R E D I E N T S
4 cups Masa Harina
2 large potatoes
Chorizo
16 oz can of refried beans
Cooking oil
Salt
Black pepper
Butter or margarine
shredded Monterey Jack or Manchego cheese
Add any other ingredients you may want


P R E P A R A T I O N

Peal the potatoes and cut them in small chunks
Boil the potatoes in water for 10 minutes or until cooked
Once the potatoes are ready, mash them and add pepper, salt and butter to taste
Keep potatoes warm at low heat
Heat the beans, keep them warm at low heat
Shred and cook the chorizo by itself in a frying pan, then keep at low heat
In a large bowl, add masa mix and add some warm water, mix with your hands until the masa is firm adding water as necessary.
With your hands, make small balls of masa about 2 inches in diameter, each one of these will be a quesadilla


I N S T R U C T I O N S

Set large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot lower heat to medium.  Add enough oil to cover the frying pan to 1 inch deep
Make a round (tortilla like) shape with each of the masa mix balls, using a roller if necessary
Put chorizo, beans with chorizo, cheese or potatoes in the tortilla and seal the sides by pressing with your fingers
Fry one side until brown, then flip, repeat for all others.  You can fry more than one at a time but don't overcrowd the pan or they will not cook evenly.