Quesadilla

A name from cheese

The word quesadilla literally translates as “little cheesy thing” — queso (cheese) + the diminutive suffix -illa. Cheese was introduced to Mexico by the Spanish in the 16th century; the dish that took its name is necessarily post-conquest, even though tortillas are pre-Columbian.

A regional debate

Mexican regional pride causes occasional clashes over what counts as a quesadilla. In Mexico City, a quesadilla can be a cheese-less corn tortilla folded around a filling (mushrooms, huitlacoche, flor de calabaza) — to the bafflement of much of the rest of the country. Outside Mexico City, no cheese means no quesadilla, just a tlacoyo or other folded item.

Two basic styles

• Quesadilla de comal (traditional) — soft uncooked corn masa folded over filling and griddled fresh. The masa cooks while the filling heats.
• Quesadilla de tortilla — pre-cooked tortilla folded over cheese, griddled until crisp. The Tex-Mex and casual restaurant standard.

Classic fillings

Inside Mexico, fillings vary far beyond the meat-and-cheese stuffing of American Tex-Mex:

• Flor de calabaza — squash blossoms, a delicate seasonal favorite.
• Huitlacoche — corn fungus (corn smut), earthy and umami; a Mexican delicacy.
• Hongos — mushrooms, often epazote-flavored.
• Chorizo y papa — chorizo with potatoes.
• Tinga — shredded chicken in chipotle and tomato.

A migration to the north

The American “quesadilla” — a flour tortilla folded with cheese and often beef or chicken — is largely a Tex-Mex creation. Mexican purists and Tex-Mex fans both have a point: they’re both legitimate dishes, just not the same dish.