Tinga Quesadillas
Cost: $9 for a plate of three.
Where: Restaurant Huauchinangos, 1620 W. University Drive, Mesa.
Hours: 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays through Saturdays. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesdays.
Details: 480-835-2054, search Facebook for “Restaurant Huauchinangos.”
How do they make the quesadillas?
They take a ball of masa — the same nixtamalized
corn dough used to make corn tortillas — press it flat in a tortilla press, fill it with tinga and fold it over, crimping the edges to make a half-moon shape. Then they drop the quesadillas in the deep fryer.
“Wait, aren’t quesadillas griddled?” you’re thinking. But, no, not always.
Sometimes they’re fried, and that’s one of the things that makes the quesadillas at Huauchinangos so delicious. It’s just a quick shot in the oil, a couple of minutes to cook the masa and lend a golden crisp, before Bonilla and Cruz line up three on a plate and add another distinctive touch — the salsa verde.
What’s so special about the salsa verde?
This isn’t a cold condiment you splash on to add a little tartness and heat (though they have that, too). It’s a thin, piping hot sauce that comes right
off the stove — almost more like a spicy broth — that’s made from tomatillos, jalapeños, onion and garlic.
Bonilla and Cruz drown the quesadillas, pouring a huge ladleful right over the top and leaving them half-submerged.
They then top the quesadillas with some shredded lettuce and a little grated cotija cheese, and the dish is ready to serve.
What do the tinga quesadillas taste like?
Like a beautiful, scalding hot mess of texture and spice.
Bonilla’s tinga quesadillas are all about contrast. There’s the contrast of textures — the thick masa puffs slightly, creating a steaming, pillowy soft wrapper with crisp fried edges and tender, juicy bits where the salsa has soaked in.
There’s the contrast of temperatures — a scalding hot, sizzled exterior wrapped around the glowing warmth of the tinga and topped with the cool crunch of shredded lettuce.
There’s the contrast of sweetness and spice — fiery adobo and fresh green jalapeños grounded by the soothing tones of stewed tomato and onion and the natural sweetness of nixtamalized corn. And there’s the contrast of earthy and tart — a smoky whiff of chipotle and nutty cotija set against an ocean of sour green pureed tomatillo.
More than anything, though, Bonilla’s tinga quesadillas are comfort food — bright and alive on your tongue, gentle and warm in your belly.
Whether or not you’re from Puebla doesn’t matter. This dish feels like home.