quesadilla — Mexico

A quesadilla is a folded tortilla snack, its name built from the Spanish word queso, 'cheese', found across Mexico, throughout Central America, and in Tex-Mex cooking, where it has taken on somewhat different forms. In Mexico it is reported mainly as a corn or wheat tortilla folded over melted cheese, sold from street stalls and market stands as well as made at home, often with the tortilla made or reheated on the spot on a flat griddle called a comal. A tortilla is warmed on the griddle, spread with grated cheese over half its surface, and sometimes topped with a little shredded meat, mushrooms, squash blossom, or other fillings before being folded in half. It is then cooked until the tortilla browns lightly on both sides and the cheese has melted enough to hold the folded shape together. The type of cheese, the tortilla used, and whatever else goes inside vary a great deal by region and by cook: some versions are simple, cheese-only snacks, others carry a full filling closer to a taco, and Tex-Mex versions are often larger, grilled, and cut into wedges. Salsa, lime, and pickled vegetables are common accompaniments, added according to taste rather than a fixed recipe.