Tucson Tostada
This chile pepper is often mislabeled ‘Pasilla’, which is a different pepper entirely.It is one of the most popular chiles in Mexico and has won the appreciation of many a chef worldwide because of the superior flavor it has over regular bell peppers.
They have a tough outer skin that usually requires roasting and peeling before use. These very large chile peppers are most popular in chiles rellenos recipes, but cooking with these as a substitute for bell peppers in any recipe will enhance the flavor.
Ingredients:
3 medium flour tortillas
1/2 pound Oaxacan cheese, shredded
1/2 pound Monterey jack cheese, shredded
1/3 pound anejo cheese, grated
1/2 pound poblano chiles, roasted, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup fresh coriander, chopped fine
oil for frying
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350F and roast the poblanos. Remove the skins and seeds, then slice into thin decorative slices. In a large frying pan, cook the tortillas in oil until they are golden brown. Drain the tortillas well on paper towels and place them on a baking sheet.
When the tortillas have cooled and hardened, cover each with a thin layer of Oaxacan cheese, then some of the jack cheese. Crumble the anejo on top and sprinkle with chopped coriander. Arrange the pepper slices on top and bake for 5 minutes, or just until the cheese has melted. Remove from the oven and use a pizza cutter to slice into individual portions. Serve immediately.