Recipe of the week

Ready to up your quesadilla game? asked Courtney Hill in Milk Street magazine. We make ours by quickly doctoring canned beans, doubling the cheese, and cooking them on a baking sheet in one batch. Once they hit the oven, “the outer layer of cheese becomes deliciously crisp.” Feel free to sub in canned green chiles for the chipotles.

Cheese-crisped pinto bean quesadillas

3 tbsp neutral oil • 2 15½-oz cans pinto beans or black beans, rinsed and drained • 1 tbsp chili powder • kosher salt and ground black pepper • 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 1 tsp adobo sauce • 2 tbsp lime juice or cider vinegar • 2 cups (8 oz) shredded pepper jack or queso Oaxaca, divided • 8 6-inch flour tortillas

• Heat oven to 475 with a rack in middle position. Brush surface of a rimmed baking sheet with oil.

• In a large microwave-safe bowl, toss together beans, chili powder and ¾ teaspoon salt. Cover and microwave on high until hot, 3 to 3½ minutes, stirring once halfway through. Stir in chipotles with adobo sauce, lime juice, and ½ cup of the cheese. Using a potato masher, mash mixture until relatively smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

• Cover half of each tortilla with bean filling. Fold unfilled sides over and press to seal. Place tortillas on baking sheet, then flip each one so both sides are coated with oil. Sprinkle with remaining 1½ cups cheese.

• Bake until cheese is melted and quesadillas begin to brown and crisp on bottoms, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from oven and, using a spatula, flip each quesadilla. Bake until browned on second side, 2 to 4 minutes. Let cool for about 5 minutes. Serves 4.