Mushroom-Quesillo Tetelas
These triangular masa treats are filled with melty quesillo (Oaxaca cheese, similar to string cheese) and mushrooms sautéed with epazote and a touch of mezcal. There’s also a fresh epazote leaf tucked inside each one. Can’t find epazote? No worries — it’s optional, and almost as delicious without it. To make the masa, we use heirloom masa harina, made by Masienda. You can choose blue, red or white — though the blue and red masa harina seem to hold up better for this masa shape. If you have access to masa made from freshly nixtamalized corn, even better!
These are delicious on their own, or served with your favorite salsa. We loved them topped with a slice of avocado, a dab of crema and a spoonful of Salsa Roja; they’d also be great with Roasted Salsa Verde and/or Salsa Macha.
Makes 6 tetelas.
Ingredients
For the filling
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup white onion (about 1/4 of a medium onion), chopped
8 ounces crimini or white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced (not too thick)
Torn leaves of 3 sprigs of epazote (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon mezcal
For the tetelas
2/3 cup masa harina, preferably blue or red masa harina from Masienda
About 3 ounces (84 g) shredded quesillo or other meltable cheese, such as jack
6 epazote leaves (optional)
For serving
Thinly sliced avocado (optional)
Crema (optional)
Salsa Roja, Roasted Salsa Verde or Salsa Macha
Instructions
1. Make the filling: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the mushrooms and epazote (if using), turn the heat up to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms give up their water, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with the salt, continue cooking another minute, if necessary, until the liquid evaporates. Stir in the mezcal and continue cooking until the liquid is almost entirely evaporated. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to use. (Note: you can make the recipe up to this point and reheat it when ready to assemble the tetelas.
2. Put the masa harina in a medium bowl, stir in just shy of 2/3 cup water, then use your hands to knead it until the water is evenly absorbed. The goal is a dough that is slightly tacky but not sticky. If it’s too wet, sprinkle in a little masa harina and knead it in. If it’s too dry, sprinkle on a little water and do the same. Make a ball with 30 grams (just over 1 ounce) of dough (if you don’t have a scale, divide the dough into sixths). Line a tortilla press with plastic on both sides, and press the ball into a tortilla about 6 inches wide.
3. If the mushroom filling is not warm, warm it on the stove, adding a teaspoon or so of water if necessary.
Folding tetelas (note: these are filled with refried beans)
4. Remove the top piece of plastic from the tortilla, spread a heaping tablespoon of mushrooms in a small circle in the center of the tortilla, then arrange about a tablespoon (about 14 grams or 1/2 ounce) of shredded cheese on top of the mushrooms, along with an epazote leaf (if using).
3. Fold one side of the tortilla over the mushrooms and cheese so the edge reaches the center of the beans and cheese (as shown in the illustration above). Fold another side of the tortilla over the mixture, so one corner is a 60-degree angle. Fold the curved side up, completely covering the filling, and forming a triangle. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect; just try to make sure there are no holes for filling to escape. Set aside on a plate or cutting board. Repeat five times, so you have six tetelas.
4. Heat a comal or large dry skillet over medium-high heat. Place the tetelas on the comal, seam-side down, and cook for about 90 seconds, until the tortillas are cooked on that side, then flip the tetelas and cook about 90 seconds on the second side, until the tortillas are cooked on that side and the cheese is melty. Arrange the tetelas on a platter or individual plates. If you like, serve them with one or two of the salsas and a dish of crema, or top with a smear of crema, sliced avocado and salsa.
Related recipe: Tetelas with Beans, Cheese and Salsa Verde
Mushroom-Quesillo Tetelas
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup white onion (about 1/4 of a medium onion), chopped
- 8 ounces crimini or white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced (not too thick)
- Torn leaves of 3 sprigs of epazote (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon mezcal
- 2/3 cup masa harina, preferably blue or red masa harina from Masienda
- About 3 ounces (84 g) shredded quesillo or other meltable cheese, such as jack
- 6 epazote leaves (optional)
- Thinly sliced avocado (optional)
- Crema (optional)
- Salsa Roja, Roasted Salsa Verde or Salsa Macha
Instructions
- Make the filling: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the mushrooms and epazote (if using), turn the heat up to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms give up their water, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with the salt, continue cooking another minute, if necessary, until the liquid evaporates. Stir in the mezcal and continue cooking until the liquid is almost entirely evaporated. Remove from heat and set aside until ready to use. (Note: you can make the recipe up to this point and reheat it when ready to assemble the tetelas.
- Put the masa harina in a medium bowl, stir in just shy of 2/3 cup water, then use your hands to knead it until the water is evenly absorbed. The goal is a dough that is slightly tacky but not sticky. If it’s too wet, sprinkle in a little masa harina and knead it in. If it’s too dry, sprinkle on a little water and do the same. Make a ball with 30 grams (just over 1 ounce) of dough (if you don’t have a scale, divide the dough into sixths). Line a tortilla press with plastic on both sides, and press the ball into a tortilla about 6 inches wide.
- If the mushroom filling is not warm, warm it on the stove, adding a teaspoon or so of water if necessary.
- Remove the top piece of plastic from the tortilla, spread a heaping tablespoon of mushrooms in a small circle in the center of the tortilla, then arrange about a tablespoon (about 14 grams or 1/2 ounce) of shredded cheese on top of the mushrooms, along with an epazote leaf (if using).
- Fold one side of the tortilla over the mushrooms and cheese so the edge reaches the center of the beans and cheese (as shown in the illustration above). Fold another side of the tortilla over the mixture, so one corner is a 60-degree angle. Fold the curved side up, completely covering the filling, and forming a triangle. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect; just try to make sure there are no holes for filling to escape. Set aside on a plate or cutting board. Repeat five times, so you have six tetelas.
- Heat a comal or large dry skillet over medium-high heat. Place the tetelas on the comal, seam-side down, and cook for about 90 seconds, until the tortillas are cooked on that side, then flip the tetelas and cook about 90 seconds on the second side, until the tortillas are cooked on that side and the cheese is melty. Arrange the tetelas on a platter or individual plates. If you like, serve them with one or two of the salsas and a dish of crema, or top with a smear of crema, sliced avocado and salsa.