Quesadillas de Flor de Calabaza

Step 1

Hold each squash blossom by its stem under cool running water and gently rinse the inside, removing any dirt or insects; pat dry with a clean towel.

Step 2

Place the squash blossoms on a cutting board and remove the stems by pinching them off with your fingers; discard the stems.

Step 3

Slice the blossom petals lengthwise into 0.25-inch-wide strips, like shredding them into thin pieces.

Step 4

Cut the onion in half from root to tip, then place the flat side down and slice crosswise into 0.25-inch-thin half-moons.

Step 5

Mince the garlic until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about the size of pencil-tip dots.

Step 6

Tear the Oaxaca cheese into rough clumps about the size of walnuts; set aside on a plate.

Step 7

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.

Step 8

Add the sliced onion and minced garlic to the hot oil and stir once every 20 seconds until the onion turns translucent and soft, about 3 minutes.

Step 9

Add the shredded squash blossom pieces to the pan and stir gently every 15 seconds until they soften and release their liquid, about 2 minutes.

Step 10

Tear the epazote leaves into small pieces and scatter them over the squash; stir once and turn off the heat.

Step 11

Taste the filling with a clean spoon and sprinkle with salt and pepper until it tastes flavorful—not bland.

Step 12

Warm a 12-inch skillet or griddle over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates instantly, about 60 seconds.

Step 13

Place one tortilla flat on a cutting board and spoon one-quarter of the squash filling onto the left half of the tortilla, leaving a 0.5-inch border.

Step 14

Scatter one-quarter of the torn Oaxaca cheese on top of the filling.

Step 15

Fold the tortilla in half over the filling, pressing gently so the cheese spreads toward the edges.

Step 16

Brush 0.5 tablespoon of olive oil onto the bottom surface of the folded quesadilla.

Step 17

Slide the oiled quesadilla onto the hot griddle and cook until the bottom surface turns golden brown with crispy spots, about 2 minutes—do not move it.

Step 18

Brush 0.5 tablespoon of olive oil onto the top surface of the quesadilla while it cooks on the griddle.

Step 19

Flip the quesadilla with a wide spatula and cook the second side until it also turns golden brown with crispy spots, about 90 seconds.

Step 20

Slide the cooked quesadilla onto a plate; repeat steps 13–19 with the remaining three tortillas and filling.

Step 21

Serve the quesadillas warm, cutting each one diagonally in half if desired.