I love it when the state of the garden dictates our meal choices. Today simply had to be about silver beet (swiss chard).

Swiss chard no.2

photo by MG Shelton, some rights reserved

I rather fancied quesadillas. Much as I love my usual masa harina tortilla recipe, I felt like something more malleable. I still wanted to retain the corn flavour but with a texture more like a wheat tortilla. Meat was out of the question. We really do eat vegetarian more often than not.

Piedra de Moler

photo by Renata Avila, some rights reserved

The result was simple exactly what I had hoped for. A nice soft, pliable tortilla filled with greeny cheesy goodness. Just right.

Corn and Wheat Tortillas

makes 18
85g masa harina
280 g plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons rendered bacon fat (or butter)
160ml warm water

  1. Sift dry ingredients together (3 x turbo in thermomix)
  2. Add bacon fat and blend into dry ingredients (10 seconds on speed 4)
  3. Add water and combine (10 seconds on speed 7)
  4. Knead for 1 minute.
    Rest dough for at least 10 minutes.
  5. Divide into 18. Press with tortilla press and cook in a hot pan on either sides until brown spots appear.

Silverbeet and Cheese Quesadillas.
1 bunch silverbeet, roughly chopped
1/2 bunch basil, torn
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 chilli, finely chopped
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 cup grated cheddar
1/2 cup crumbled feta

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
  2. Heat oil in fry pan, add onion and saute for 1 minute. Add garlic and saute for 2 more minutes.
  3. Add silverbeet, basil and stock and saute, stirring until all the silverbeet has wilted. Remove from heat.
  4. Combine cheeses and toss through silverbeet until thoroughly combined.
  5. Layer tortillas and silverbeet mix in a baking dish.
  6. Bake for 10 minutes.