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Plantain and Refried Bean Quesadillas
Plantain dough is used instead of tortillas in these refried-bean-stuffed fried quesadillas. This Mexican recipe comes from cookbook author Pati Jinich.
👥 8 Servings👤 Pati Jinich📖 epicurious
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- ●pot
- ●blender
- ●food processor
- ●skillet
📝 Preparation Steps
1
To make the dough: Place the peel-on plantains in a large pot of boiling water and simmer, partially covered, until they are soft to the touch, 20 to ⏱️ 25 minutes. Remove from the water with tongs and let them cool slightly, until they can be handled.
2
Trim off the ends of the plantains. Make a lengthwise slit in the skin of each one, peel off the skin, and slice. Place in a blender or food processor, along with the sugar, and process until smooth. If the dough seems too soft and runny, add some flour to thicken it a bit. (You can also let the dough sit in the refrigerator, covered, for ⏱️ 30 minutes to make it more manageable.)
3
To make the quesadillas: Meanwhile, cut two circles about the size of the tortilla press plates (or at least 6 inches in diameter if using a rolling pin) out of thin plastic bags, such as produce bags from the grocery store.
4
Roll a piece of the dough in the palm of your hand into a ball about 1 inch in diameter. Place one of the plastic circles on the bottom of the tortilla press and place the ball on top. Place the other plastic circle on top of the ball and clamp down on the press to make a flat disk about ¼ inch thick, jiggling the press a little as you get to the bottom (this makes for a rounder tortilla). Alternatively, you can place the ball between plastic sheets or parchment paper and roll out with a rolling pin.
5
Remove the top piece of plastic and place a generous tablespoon of the refried beans in the center of the dough. Use the bottom piece of plastic to fold the dough over the filling like a turnover. Firmly pinch the edges of the turnover together. Gently lift the quesadilla off the plastic and set aside. Continue with the remainder of the dough and beans.
refried beans, homemade or store-bought1 cup
6
Heat 1 inch of oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking, 3 to ⏱️ 4 minutes. Dip the tip of a quesadilla into the oil; if the oil is ready, it will bubble around the edges but not be too wild. Fry the quesadillas a few at a time until golden and lightly crisp, about ⏱️ 2 minutes. Turn and cook the quesadillas on the other side, about 2 more minutes. They should be soft and tender. Don’t let them brown too much, or they will burn. Drain on paper towels.
7
Serve with your favorite salsa.
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