Quick, simple and using food that is in the fridge and cupboards – that just about sums up my perfect mid-week lunch, and is exactly what these Quesadillas are. I made mine for a quick tea this week after the usual busy after-school rush, but they are great for lunch or a snack as well.
In the past, I have used all sorts of leftover cooked meats and sliced vegetables, this time I used sliced ham, which I always have on standby in the fridge for sandwiches, and sliced Jarlsberg cheese which I had bought to go on top of cheeseburgers the other day. Quesadillas literally translates as ‘little cheesy thing’, so as long as you have cheese in there somewhere, I reckon you are on the right track.
All you have to do is pop a dry, non-stick frying pan on to heat up over a medium heat. Then take one soft tortilla and cover it with some sliced cooked meats, chopped onion, sweetcorn – this really is a great way to use up the bits and pieces you have in your fridge. Next add some sliced or grated cheese – I use whatever hard cheese is in the fridge, but the Jarlsberg did have a particularly nice texture when melted.
Top with another tortilla and then lightly brush the top with some oil, either olive oil or my preference these days is for rapeseed oil.
Now comes the slightly tricky bit – you need to flip the quesadilla over so that the oiled side goes onto the frying pan. This will give the cheese longer to heat through and melt into gooey gorgeousness.
After 2-3 minutes over a medium heat, your tortilla should be golden brown and the cheese will be melting. You now need lightly brush the top with oil (that’s the tortilla that you didn’t oil last time around), and flip the whole thing over again. If you’re feeling confident you can just use a fish slice to help you do this. If you’re feeling less than confident you could use a large plate to cover the pan, invert the whole thing and then slide the Quesadilla back in again. Remember to use oven gloves if you take this route!
After another 2-3 minutes, when it is all looking toasty and gorgeous, remove from the pan and slice into wedges. I had mine with a splodge of tomato ketchup and a glass of Duchy Originals cider, though I did wish for a spicier ketchup when I was eating it.
So, what would you like in your Quesadilla?