Beef-and-cheese tortilla pockets

Method

1. Heat the 15 ml of oil for the beef in a 28 cm skillet over medium-high. Brown the beef and onion thoroughly, 8 to 10 minutes, breaking the meat into small crumbs and cooking until no liquid is left in the pan.
2. Add the salt, garlic powder, paprika, and pepper. Beat the egg, stir it through the hot beef off the heat, then return the pan to a low heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the egg is completely set. Fold in the spring onion and parsley and leave the filling to cool for 5 minutes.
3. Put one fifth of the filling and one fifth of the cheese on one half of each tortilla, leaving a 2 cm border. Fold and press closed.
4. Wipe the skillet clean and brush it with the oil for frying. Cook the pockets two at a time over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the tortilla is crisp and evenly spotted and cheese is visible at the fold. Three batches take about 15 minutes.
5. Rest 2 minutes before cutting so the filling settles.

Notes

• Cooking the beef before filling gives a safer and more evenly browned result than enclosing raw mince.
• Keep the filling away from the edge so melted cheese does not leak.
• For a meat-free version, replace the beef with hand-torn firm tofu (a quick simmer in salted water first firms and seasons it, see the tofu prep formula) and cook until its rough edges are browned before seasoning.

Sources consulted

• Fast & Easy Recipes video

Good with

• Crispy potato, onion, and garlic skillet cake
• Edamame-avocado dip with crunchy vegetables
• Greek salad with sardines
• Tofu, prepped for flavour

From Christoph Mayer

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