Tlayuda, a vegetarian recipe from Mexico

Name: Tlayuda
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Mexico
Ingredients: 2 large 30 cm corn tortillas; 300 g cooked black beans; 1 small onion; 1 garlic clove; 1 tsp Mexican oregano; 150 g quesillo or mozzarella; 200 g white cabbage, shredded; 1 avocado; 1 lime; 3 tbsp neutral oil; Salt

Method

Soften the chopped onion and garlic in 2 tbsp oil. Add the beans with 100 ml water and the oregano.
Mash the beans in the pan with a potato masher and cook down to a paste that holds on the spoon. Season with salt.
Dress the cabbage with the lime juice, a pinch of salt and the remaining oil. Leave it to soften while you cook.
Heat a griddle or large dry pan over medium heat and lay a tortilla on it. Spread the bean paste right out to the edges.
Tear the cheese over the beans and cover for 4 minutes, until it melts and the underside turns brittle.
Lift the tlayuda out, pile on the cabbage and sliced avocado, then fold it in half or cut it into wedges.

In Oaxaca the giant tortilla is dried in the sun before it is sold, which is how it crisps without burning. With a fresh tortilla, dry it in a 150C oven for 10 minutes before you build on it.

The techniques this recipe uses

Sweat the aromatics
Medium heat, no browning: the onion should turn translucent and sweet, not toasted.
Reduce
Uncovered, water leaves and flavour concentrates. It is done when the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

Frequently asked questions

My tortilla stayed floppy instead of turning crisp. Why?

It was too moist. In Oaxaca the large tortilla is dried before it is sold, which lets it crisp without burning. With a fresh shop-bought one, dry it for 10 minutes in a 150 °C oven before topping it.

How dry should the bean paste be?

Dry enough to hold on the spoon without running. A loose purée wets the tortilla from below and destroys the crispness. Mash the beans straight in the pan and let the water cook off before spreading.

What can replace quesillo?

Mozzarella, as the recipe suggests, is the closest match: quesillo is a stretched-curd cheese that pulls apart into long ribbons and melts the same way. Shred it rather than slicing it, so it melts faster and more evenly.

Tlayuda

Method

The techniques this recipe uses

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Nutrition per serving

Frequently asked questions

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