Food Maths: Tortilla Wraps

An easy hack when it comes to speedy suppers, tortilla wraps can inject Mexican fire into any number of meals, says food writer and SL contributor Chloe Scott-Moncrieff. From a South-American tostada, to a creative sweet treat, here are three to try…

HERO INGREDIENT: Old El Paso tortillas (corn or flour)

One-Pan Messy Tostada

INGREDIENTS

2 Old El Paso tortillas, shredded into strips
Olive or vegetable oil
1 tin of black beans, drained
1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Mixed herbs (optional)
1 packet of cherry tomatoes, halved
200g of Greek Feta cheese
Spices: 1 tsp of paprika, 1 tsp of ground cumin, 1 star anise (ground in a pestle and mortar)
Any spare chorizo or cooked chicken

METHOD

Shred your tortilla and toast in a large pan on the hob, using a little light olive or vegetable oil. Push to one side.
In the same pan, fry the garlic for a few minutes, making sure not to burn it. Pour in the black beans and 1 tbsp of water. Add the spices and let the beans stew gently. Taste. Season with salt and pepper and as many herbs as you like.
Gently simmer for 10 minutes, adding a little water to the beans if they dry out.
To finish, crumble over the feta cheese. Scatter over the tomatoes.
Season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lime. Serve.

Mozzarella Chilaquiles

INGREDIENTS

3-4 tortilla wraps, sliced into strips
1 tin of Napolina chopped tomatoes
Half a red onion, finely chopped
1 chilli, ideally jalapeno
1 tbsp of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
2 avocados, stones removed, flesh scooped, sliced and set aside
100ml of sour cream
250g of Galbani Mozzarella
1 tsp of vodka (optional)

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Fry the onion in a pan. Add the tin of chopped tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce and the chilli – and vodka if using. Simmer for a few minutes on a low heat. Season with a little salt and add a sprinkling of sugar if the tomatoes are tart.
To assemble, cover the bottom of a large baking dish with a layer of the shredded tortillas, then a layer of the tomato mixture. If there’s more left over, keep layering. Finish with the mozzarella to cover the top.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling.
Top with the avocado slices. An extra layer could include a pile of fresh herbs and a fried egg.
Finish with a drizzle of sour cream. Serve with salad.

Easy Ice Cream Tortilla

INGREDIENTS

3 tortilla wraps, sliced into circles to fit muffin tin holes
200g of banana or strawberries, sliced
1 tsp of ground cinnamon or cardamom seeds, taken from the pod
300ml of Green & Blacks Organic vanilla ice cream
Walnuts or lightly toasted sesame seeds (dry-cooked in a pan for 2 minutes)
Pinch of demerara or caster sugar

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Slice the tortillas into roughly 6-7cm diameter circles. Place the discs into an oiled 12-hole muffin tin.
Brush or sprinkle each one with a little olive oil or melted butter, the spice of your choice and a dusting of sugar.
Bake for a few minutes until they’re just crisp, not burnt.
Remove and pile each cup with a scoop of ice cream and plenty of sliced bananas or strawberries (or both) and sprinkle with crushed walnuts or the lightly toasted seeds.

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