Entomatadas
Entomatadas are my mom's answer to a busy night and an almost-empty fridge. A few tomatoes, some tortillas, a little cheese, and twenty minutes later there was dinner, soft tortillas folded into a silky tomato sauce, simple and somehow exactly enough. With both my parents working long restaurant hours, meals like this were small everyday miracles, and I never once felt like we were going without. When my own evenings get away from me now, entomatadas remind me that comfort does not have to be complicated.These classic Mexican Entomatadas are soft white corn tortillas dipped in a rich homemade tomato salsa, filled with queso fresco, and topped with crema, onions, and avocado. A quick and comforting dish for a weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 6 roma tomatoes
- ¼ white onion
- 1 large serrano pepper
- 2 garlic cloves large
- 2 cups water for simmering the tomatoes; reserve some for blending
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
- salt and pepper to taste
- 12 white corn tortillas small, about 6 inches
- ¼ cup oil for frying plus more if needed
- 1 ½ cups queso fresco crumbled, for filling
Optional toppings
- raw onions sliced
- sour cream
- raw Serrano or jalapeño peppers
- sliced avocado
Instructions
- Place the tomatoes, onion, serrano, garlic, and 2 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 8–10 minutes, until the tomatoes soften. Turn off the heat and let the vegetables cool slightly.
- Lift the vegetables into a blender and add ½ cup of their cooking liquid, the cumin, ½ teaspoon oregano, and chicken bouillon. Blend until smooth, venting the lid according to your blender instructions when blending warm ingredients. Add more reserved liquid a little at a time only if needed; the sauce should coat a tortilla.
- Pour the sauce into a wide skillet and simmer gently for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste before adding salt and pepper because the bouillon is already salty. Keep the sauce warm over low heat.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a separate small skillet over medium heat. Briefly fry each tortilla for 10–15 seconds per side, just until flexible rather than crisp. Lift with tongs, let excess oil drain, and keep the tortillas warm. Add a little more oil if the pan becomes dry.
- Dip each warm tortilla into the sauce, place it on a plate, and add about 2 tablespoons crumbled queso fresco. Fold in half. Divide the 12 entomatadas among 4 plates, spoon over remaining sauce, and add any of the optional toppings. Serve immediately while the tortillas are soft.