Makes 8 triangles; serves 4 as an hors d’oeuvre or 1–2 for lunch
Quesadillas are typically Spanish, Mexican, or Southwestern American–style snacks made with white or whole wheat flour tortillas and melted cheese. (In Spanish, the word quesadilla means “little cheesy thing.”) Once you’ve made a couple of quesadilla variations, you’ll figure out many other possibilities. For example, these tasty triangles are filled with Spanish ingredients—Manchego cheese and jalapeños—and topped with Spanish smoked paprika.
INGREDIENTS
3 jalapeños
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Manchego cheese
2 (10-inch) flour tortillas
Olive oil
1⁄2 Tablespoon small capers, blotted dry
Pinch of sweet Pimentón de la Vera (see note)
Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the jalapeños and roast until the skins are blackened. Place roasted jalapeños into a plastic bag until cool enough to handle, then remove the skins and chop.
Sprinkle half of the cheese evenly over one tortilla and cover with the jalapeños. Sprinkle on the capers, then cover with the remaining cheese and second tortilla.
Heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking, 3 ½ to 4 minutes; brush with a little oil. Put the filled quesadilla in the pan, brush the top with a little oil, and put a small skillet or pan on top and cook until the edges of the tortilla are browned, 2 to 3 minutes. With a wide spatula, flip the tortilla, and cook the other side until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove the quesadilla, sprinkle on the Pimentón de la Vera, and let it stand for 1 minute; then cut into eighths with a pizza cutter or sharp knife, and serve.
Note: Spanish smoked paprika is known as Pimentón de la Vera. There are two varieties: sweet (dulce) and hot (picante). It is made from dried peppers that are slowly smoked over an oak fire for several weeks to impart the characteristic smoky flavor to many authentic Spanish dishes.
