This post is also available in / Esta entrada también está disponible en ESPAÑOL (SPANISH)

These are a staple in Guatemala and, in our house! In Guatemalan Cuisine, we have two kinds of chilaquilas: ones made from güisquil (also known as chayote), and these ones made with corn tortillas.

My dad loves this version so much, that when father’s day or his birthday come around, we know we have to make some for him to enjoy. He would also say that they are a versatile dish. For example, he can have 3 or 4 for dinner on the first day. Then, the following day he would re-heat two chilaquilas, and serve with two over-easy fried eggs, all topped with this versatile tomato sauce.

The tomato sauce, we prepare more often than the chilaquilas themselves. I love to have a jar of this plain no-fat tomato sauce in the fridge to serve with pasta, with eggs for breakfast, or to improve a bland soup.

All around, it’s a family favorite. Just a few days ago, we celebrated my dad’s birthday. We had a very Guatemalan spread: chilaquilas and fried black beans, guacamole and tostadas. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Kitty

Tortilla Chilaquilas

A Foodies’ Kitchen Original
About 30 chilaquilas

Ingredients, for the Sauce:
8 roma tomatoes, cut in halves
1 bell pepper, cut in fourths
½ yellow or white onion, cut roughly in half
4 garlic cloves
salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients, for the Chilaquilas:
3 tomatoes
A handful of chives
1 queso fresco (farmer’s cheese)
6 eggs, separated egg whites/yolks
salt and pepper to taste
30 corn tortillas
vegetable oil, for frying

Directions:

1. First, prepare the sauce. In a blender, add the tomatoes, bell pepper, onion and garlic cloves. Blend until smooth.
2. Pour the blended ingredients in a pot and bring slowly to a boil so it cooks, and add the salt and pepper to season. If you feel like the sauce needs more liquid, add a couple tablespoons of water at a time. I usually don’t need to add any additional water to mine.
3. Now, prepare the chilaquilas. Dice the tomatoes and chop the chives. Crumble the cheese and mix together with the tomatoes and chives thoroughly with a fork.
4. Heat 5 tortillas in the microwave, for 40 seconds. This will make the tortillas easy to work with, and prevent them from breaking in two when folding.
5. Place a tortilla on a dish or table cloth, and add a tablespoon of the queso fresco mix on one of the halves of the tortilla. Fold to close the tortilla. Continue to do the same with the rest of the 4 tortillas. I find it better to work with 5 tortillas at a time.
6. With a mixer, whip the egg whites until they are foamy and, while mixing, add the egg yolks one by one, mixing thoroughly after each added yolk to ensure that its combined with the egg whites. You will be left with a foamy mix.
7. Heat a big non-stick skillet and add vegetable oil. Take one of the filled tortillas and coat it in the egg mix, by submerging it into it. Remove excess and carefully place it in the skillet. Fry until coating turns into a golden color, and flip. Fry again until bottom is golden.
8. Transfer to a plate and continue working until there is no more cheese mix left.
9. After they are done, serve them with plenty of sauce poured over them.

Note:

• Since this recipe makes plenty of chilaquilas, let them cool completely, and cover the dish with plastic wrap before placing in the fridge.
• To re-heat them, we found that for two chilaquilas, pop them in the microwave for a minute in a covered dish.

© 2015 – 2020, The Foodies’ Kitchen. All rights reserved | Todos los derechos reservados

This post is also available in / Esta entrada también está disponible en ESPAÑOL (SPANISH)