South of the Border

...down Mexico way...thanks, Frank...but we're going a little further South to El Salvador.  I love discovering new foods that I've never heard of.  So many cultures, so much food to try.  While I may not like it all, I'm willing to give it a go.

I love finding new food websites out there in the world wide interwebz.  If you have a chance, do check out Food52.  Recipes, contests, shopping, and more are here.  I first discovered it when they were having their Best Gluten Free recipe contest and came across the recipe for Salvadoran quesadillas.  Posted by Sasha at Global Table Adventure, they looked amazing and delicious.  You also need to check out Sasha's website.  Her goal is to cook foods from 195 countries in 195 weeks, a daunting adventure that I am not soon to take up.  You will also easily get sucked into her site and find loads of recipes you'll want to make yourself.

These little goodies are not what you think of when 'quesadilla' comes to mind.  Instead of tortillas sandwiched with cheese and other fillings, they're little cakes full of butter.  Dense, cheesy, and a little nutty with sesame.  Sasha says they're eaten for breakfast in El Salvador.  I made them for brunch this morning and had one later in the day as a snack.  It will be difficult to not eat the whole batch at breakfast.  I'm looking at the leftovers now thinking 'just one more.'  But I'll be good....and wait for tomorrow morning.  Just me, a big steaming cup of coffee and those four little cakes.

Salvadoran Quesadillas
(Adapted from Global Table Adventure's recipe)
Makes 8

1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Sesame seeds, for sprinkling

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and grease muffin tin.  In a small bowl, combine the rice flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.  In larger bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light.  Add egg and mix well.  Add yogurt, cheese and flour mixture and mix well.  Spoon batter into muffin tin about half-way in each well.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds to taste.  Bake for 15-20 minutes.  The edges will be golden brown.  Let cool for about 10 minutes before removing from pan.

If you checked out the recipe on Sasha's site, you'll notice that I substituted both the cotija cheese and sour cream.  I plan to make these again with all the ingredients she used, but I don't think I missed out much by substituting.