These little quesadillas are made with masa rather than packaged tortillas.
·Mushroom filling may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
·Quesadillas may be formed, but not fried, 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature, and pat dry if necessary, before frying.
Recipe information
Total Time
2 hrs
Yield
Makes about 40 hors d’oeuvres
Ingredients
For mushroom filling
For tortilla masa
For cheese and squash blossom filling
For frying
Special Equipment
Preparation
Make mushroom filling:
Step 1
Cook onion in butter in a medium nonstick skillet over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened.
Step 2
Pulse mushrooms in a food processor until coarsely chopped and add to onion along with epazote and salt.
Step 3
Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until mushrooms are softened and any liquid is evaporated, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and cool filling completely.
Make masa and form quesadillas:
Step 4
Stir together masa harina, salt, and warm water in a large bowl with a wooden spoon until it forms a dough. Knead dough in bowl with heel of your hand 1 to 2 minutes.
Step 5
Pinch off small pieces of dough and roll into about 40 (scant 1-inch) balls. Transfer balls as formed to a plastic-wrap–lined tray and cover with more plastic wrap.
Step 6
Cut 2 (5-inch) squares from a small plastic bag and use 1 to line lower half of tortilla press. Put a ball of dough in tortilla press and top with second square of plastic. Close tortilla press, pushing gently on lever to flatten dough to a 2 1/2- to 3-inch round. If press doesn’t flatten evenly, rotate tortilla 180 degrees and gently flatten again. (Alternatively, use rolling pin to flatten dough between squares of plastic.)
Step 7
Remove top square of plastic and put 1 teaspoon mushroom filling, or about 1 teaspoon crumbled queso fresco with 1/2 teaspoon crema and a piece of squash blossom, in center of round.
Step 8
Fold round, still in plastic, over filling to form a half-moon and pinch edges together to seal. Gently peel off plastic, then transfer quesadilla to another plastic-wrap–lined tray and cover with a second sheet of plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining dough, making about 20 quesadillas of each filling.
Fry quesadillas:
Step 9
Heat 1 inch of oil in a deep 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until deep-fat thermometer registers 375°F, then deep-fry quesadillas in batches of 6 to 8, turning once or twice, until golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and return oil to 375°F before adding next batch.
Step 10
Serve quesadillas immediately.
