Name: Quesadillas
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 16 quesadillas
Ingredients: 8 ounces of your favorite Mexican Cheese; 16 corn tortillas.

Mexican Style Quesadillas

Quesadillas are a staple in every Mexican home and fonda, the small mom-and-pop restaurants found throughout the country. You might be surprised to find that quesadillas in Mexico aren’t the cheese filled extravaganzas we are used to in the U.S. A typical quesadilla is made with a corn tortilla and small amount of cheese served with a good salsa and some guacamole on the side.

Sincronizadas

Sincronizadas are ham and cheese quesadillas. The name translates as “synchronized.” Most often sincronizadas are prepared with flour tortillas but corn tortillas are on option. The tortillas aren’t folded with cheese in the middle. The tortillas are stacked with the filling in the middle and then cut into half moons or triangles.

Good Cheese Makes a Good Quesadilla

If you want a good quesadilla or sincronizada you have to use a good quality cheese. Oaxaca cheese, asadero cheese, manchego cheese and Chihuahua cheese are all good options. In a pinch you can use mozzarella. Quesadillas are never made with cheddar.

Ingredients to make quesadillas and sincronizadas.

Try Preparing With Different Cheeses

Each Mexican cheese gives your quesadillas a distinct flavor. Try a number of different cheeses until you find your favorite. My favorite is asadero.

How to Make a Mexican Quesadilla

You always want to make quesadillas on the griddle never in a microwave. Microwaving them makes the tortilla soggy. You want them to be golden brown with the cheese evenly melted. Don’t overdo it with the cheese. The flavors of the cheese and tortilla should be nicely balanced. Quesadillas prepared with flour tortillas are more popular in Northern Mexico in the states of Sonora, Chihuahua, Nuevo Leon and Taumalipas.