From the Seattle PI: Tortilla Uses

I just came across this article and it spoke to me for obvious reasons.
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Apple pie, lasagna and 8 more inventive uses for tortillas

By HSIAO-CHING CHOU
P-I FOOD EDITOR
The recipe called for six corn tortillas. The market offered them only in packs of 50. Even though the tortillas didn't cost much, I had more than 40 tortillas to use up and I wasn't in the mood for tacos, quesadillas or the ubiquitous pinwheels.

With sincere apologies to Mexican-food purists, here are some atypical ways to use tortillas.

1. Make "toast"

Heat them up either directly in a skillet with no oil (for slightly crisp) or wrapped in damp kitchen towel and microwaved (for soft and moist). You can eat them plain, top them with butter and jam, or use them to sop up egg yolks.

		Paul Joseph Brown / P-I
	Eggs are baked in tortillas placed in a muffin pan.

2. Make egg cups

First, nuke the 6-inch tortilla in the microwave for about 10 seconds (20 to 30 seconds if you're heating three or four at a time) just to soften. Gently place the tortilla in a muffin tin to make a cup; the edges will flute. Crack an egg in the cup. Add salt and pepper, a dash of cream (optional), chopped herbs of your choice and grated Parmesan. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how done you like your eggs. Serve the egg cups with mixed greens for brunch.

3. Make apple pie

Cut four peeled and cored Granny Smith apples into 1/4-inch slices. Toss the apples with 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon allspice and 1/2 cup apple juice or water. In a pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the apples and cook for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Set aside. Fill 6-inch tortillas with the apple mixture and fold in half like a taco. In a skillet, melt a little butter over medium heat. Add the pie and brown on each side, about 2 minutes per side.

To serve: Dust each pie with powdered sugar and cinnamon.

4. Make "Beijing duck"

Buy a roast duck from an Asian barbecue shop. When you get home, remove the bones from the duck pieces. Cut up some green onion stalks into 2-inch segments.

		Paul Joseph Brown / P-I
	An apple mixture turns tortillas into pies.

How to eat: Spread some sweet bean sauce (available in cans at the Asian market) on a warmed tortilla. Add duck and some green onion. Roll up like a burrito and eat.

You can do this with a roast chicken from your neighborhood supermarket, too. Instead of sweet bean sauce, you can use, say, apricot jam or orange marmalade.

5. Make pita substitutes

For some reason, great pita bread is not always easy to find without going out of your way. Cut tortillas into triangles and use them for Mediterranean favorites such as hummus, baba ghanouj and tzatziki. Or, use tortillas as wraps for skewers or gyros.

6. Make naan substitutes

If you have Indian takeout and you run out of naan, tortillas can save the day.

7. Make crepes

Heat up the tortilla, spread with Nutella, fold, dust with powdered sugar and eat. Consider other fillings, such as jam, fruit compote, ice cream. A drizzle of chocolate sauce is the icing on the "crepe."

8. Make lasagna

Layer tortillas with seasoned and cooked ground meat, black beans, tomato sauce and shredded cheddar. Continue layering until you end up with cheese on top. Bake in a 400-degree oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cheese is hot and bubbly.

9. Make tuna tacos

Instead of sliced bread, use a tortilla to make a tuna fish sandwich. Take a warmed tortilla, add lettuce and the tuna mixture, fold in half like a taco and eat.

10. Make panini

This is a glorified quesadilla, but indulge me. Between two tortillas, add ham or prosciutto, mozzarella, fresh basil and tomato slices. Heat in the panini grill. Cut and serve. The fillings can vary according to your whims.

ABOUT TORTILLAS:

Typically, tortillas are available in 10-inch and 4-inch sizes and are made from either corn or flour. Some companies make even larger ones for American-style burritos.

Tortillas are a staple of Mexican cooking and are used as a vehicle for just about anything, which is why Mexican brands are available in packs of 50.

Flavored tortillas (spinach, tomato, etc.) are an American affectation -- similar to the salsa-flavored hard taco shell.

The proper way to heat up a tortilla is on a comal, which is a thin cast-iron plate/pan. An ungreased skillet also will work. Steaming, microwaving, grilling and other such methods are not traditional and often are frowned upon by purists.

P-I food editor Hsiao-Ching Chou can be reached at 206-448-8117 or hsiaochingchou@seattlepi.com.