10/30/09

New Ideas Using Tortillas



Did you know that  you could make traditional Greek, Italian, Polynesian and sushi recipes from tortillas?  Some friends and I have been testing recipes from 101 Uses for a Tortilla cookbook and were surprised at how creative this cookbook is.  They have taken very traditional regional foods and adapted them for use with tortillas.  Here are some of the foods.

Greek Spinach and Cheese Triangles (like Spanikopitas)


Tortilla Sushi Rolls


Apple Struedel (like Rugelach)
Some of the other recipes were for Cannelloni, Chocolate Raspberry Burritos (dessert, of course), Snowflakes (using a tortilla like a piece of folded paper and cutting with scissors into a snowflake and glazing with Nutella.  Kids would love doing this!), Hot Fudge Tostada (using the thicker, gordita-style tortilla and pressing them into ramekins, microwaving to get a cup shape bowl to hold ice cream, and Pigs in a Blanket (cutting the tortilla into a square, then wrapping around a hot dog stuffed with cheese and baking it).  It helped me think more creatively about the use of tortillas.  Hope you learned something new like I did!
Here's how the Spinach and Cheese Triangles are made:
1 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 bag (16 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained and squeezed dry
2 cups crumbled feta cheese or queso fresco
2 eggs, beaten
6 large, thin flour tortillas
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Saute green onion in 1/4 cup butter for 1 minutes.  Add garlic and saute 2 minutes more.  Add spinach and stir frequently until all moisture evaporates.  Remove from heat.  Stir in cheese and eggs.  It will look like this:



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Then fold into a triangle, like folding a flag.  Place on baking sheet, seam-side down.  Brush each tortilla with melted butter.  Bake 20 minutes, or until light golden brown.  Makes 18 triangles.
These have a great flavor, a little more substantial than the ones made with Phyllo dough, but less messy as these don't crumble in your hands.  Each one makes a substantial four-bite appetizers.



For more wonderful recipes and ideas click here for Designs by Gollum's Foodie Friday.

15 comments:

Patricia @ ButterYum said...

Adorable ideas!

:)
ButterYum

Beverly said...

Yummy....finaly I know how to wrap something with those things!

Maggie said...

Oh my mouth was watering at the thought of those spinach triangles.
Thanks for testing!
Maggie

Unknown said...

What a GREAT!!! post using tortillas. I will have to try all of them.
Geri

Beth at Aunties said...

These all look so yummy and so versatile! What a fun cook book. Your spinach and feta looks so good.
I didn't get my Friday Foodie post done. My FIL is suffering some set backs and that is where I need to be.
I wish you and your family a wonderfully fun Halloween!
~♥

Anita@Theycallmejammi said...

Who knew the tortilla could be so versatile...what great ideas.

Mary Bergfeld said...

What wonderful ideas. They look delicious and I'm sure they taste as good as they look. Have a great Foodie Friday.

dtbrents said...

Now I want the book. Every thing looks fantastic. I am so hungry. Doylene

Chrissy said...

Those all look really yummy!

Sue said...

They all look really great. I wouldn't have thought to use a tortilla for these things.

Sue

Ruth said...

Look so yummy! Will surely try this. Thanks!

Dianne West said...

Some great ways to use tortillas!
I wouldn't have thought there
could be 101 ways! Thanks for the
recipes--I want to try those
spinach triangles!

Sarah said...

OMG do these sound AMAZING! We always have WAY too many tortillas! I am going to buy this book!

Rhonda said...

Hey, hope is all is well your way! I have got to try the spinach and cheese! Sounds sooo good! Thanks for sharing!

Happy Halloween!

Mid-Atlantic Martha said...

Wow! Who knew!