Cheese Flautas with Cilantro Pesto
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Martha Stewart Living, October 2009
- Prep Time 5 minutes
- Total Time 30 minutes
- Yield Serves 4
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 3/4 cup pepitas (green hulled pumpkin seeds)
- 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped
- Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
- Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
- 8 corn tortillas (6-inch), softened by moistening and lightly toasting over a gas burner (turn with tongs)
- 2 cups (6 ounces) grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/4 cup peanut oil
Directions
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Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saute pan over medium-low.
Cook garlic until golden, 1 minute. Add pepitas; cook,
tossing, until toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Pulse to a paste in a food
processor. Add cilantro, lime juice, and remaining olive oil;
pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Spread some
pesto on a softened tortilla; top with cheese. Roll up; place
seam side down. Cover with a damp kitchen towel. Repeat. -
Heat peanut oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Fry flautas in 2 batches, seam sides down, 1 minute. Using tongs, roll to brown evenly, cooking 1 minute more. Drain on paper towels, dabbing tops to remove excess oil.
I made this for a dinner party that I gave for my new group of women friends (I've recently relocated) and they said it was fabulous and ate every bite so I don't think they were just trying to make me feel better. I served it with roasted onions and squash laced with chili powder and a green salad with cilantro lime dressing. Oh, and Mexican chocolate cake.
I used pine nuts instead of pepitas. My grocery store didn't carry pepitas. My husband I liked these and I would make them again.