aka Amber Fox Kitchen

Tortilla Casserole (chillaquillas fifi)

The amount below, served with salad, is enough for about eight people, but can be stretched by adding another can of tomato (increase the spices) and more tortillas. Vegan if you omit the cheese.

Make the sauce ahead of time:

• one large onion
• two cloves garlic
• a little olive or other veg oil
• cilantro (toasted and crushed), cumin (toasted), oregano/basil/thyme to taste (perhaps 3/4 teaspoon of each?)
• salt and black pepper to taste (perhaps 1/2 tsp? each)
• crushed or chopped chilis - chipotle are best - to taste (perhaps 1.5 chipotles or more)
• two cans diced tomatoes (or two cans whole tomatoes plus half a can of tomato paste, mixed)
• one tbsp vinegar or lemon or lime juice

1. fry the onions and garlic in the oil with salt until beginning to brown
2. add the spices and fry another minute or so on low heat
3. add the tomato and bring to boil, then simmer about 1/2 hour or more until it's thick & smooth
4. add the vinegar or juice

Taste it - it should be too spicy and salty as the tortillas will neutralise the salt & spices quite a lot.

One hour before serving:

• about 20 stale corn tortillas cut or torn into pieces (quarters or eighths work OK, whatever you feel like)
• about a cup of grated cheese (something with some flavour - mozarella or havarti is boring here - but not blue of any kind)

1. turn on the oven to about 375 F
2. drop the tortillas into the sauce and give it a thorough mixing, make sure they're all wet & not too stuck together - you can add a little water or tomato liquid if you want to
3. spread the mixture in a baking dish at least an inch deep (if you're a bit short of sauce that's OK, just fuss with the tortillas to make sure none of them are sticking up & liable to burn)
4. spread an even layer of the cheese on top
5. put it in the oven at medium heat until it's bubbling and the cheese is browning

I'm told you can also make this with stale corn chips, but I haven't tried that yet.