flipSalvadoran Quesadilla
Salvadoran Quesadilla
Why this dish? This cheese cake, bought warm from vendors and shared at coffee time, accompanied afternoon meriendas in El Salvador. An everyday treat, both sweet and salty, like Consuelo's character.
Moist, slightly dense cake made with fresh cheese, rice flour, and cream, topped with sesame seeds. Neither fully sweet nor truly salty: the quintessential Salvadoran merienda, enjoyed with coffee.
You think a cheese cake must be savory? Think again! In our country, quesadilla is a tender cake, both sweet and salty, sold warm in the squares and cut into generous slices for merienda. I liked to keep a piece to dip in my afternoon coffee, in the shade, when the heat subsided. It is one of those simple joys that, I swear, are worth all the great restaurants of Paris.
- •Salted fresh cheese (queso fresco) — a good portion (flavor and moisture)
- •Rice flour — two cups (structure)
- •Eggs — several (binder)
- •Cream — a bowlful (richness)
- •Sugar — to taste (sweetness)
- •Sesame seeds — a pinch (crunchy topping)
Salvadoran Quesadilla
Moist, slightly dense cake made with fresh cheese, rice flour, and cream, topped with sesame seeds. Neither fully sweet nor truly salty: the quintessential Salvadoran merienda, enjoyed with coffee.
Why this dish? This cheese cake, bought warm from vendors and shared at coffee time, accompanied afternoon meriendas in El Salvador. An everyday treat, both sweet and salty, like Consuelo's character.
You think a cheese cake must be savory? Think again! In our country, quesadilla is a tender cake, both sweet and salty, sold warm in the squares and cut into generous slices for merienda. I liked to keep a piece to dip in my afternoon coffee, in the shade, when the heat subsided. It is one of those simple joys that, I swear, are worth all the great restaurants of Paris.
Ingredients (period version)
- Salted fresh cheese (queso fresco) — a good portion (flavor and moisture)
- Rice flour — two cups (structure)
- Eggs — several (binder)
- Cream — a bowlful (richness)
- Sugar — to taste (sweetness)
- Sesame seeds — a pinch (crunchy topping)
Ingredients
- Rice flour — 200 g (structure)
- Queso fresco or finely grated Parmesan — 150 g (flavor and moisture)
- Eggs — 4 (binder)
- Heavy cream — 200 ml (richness)
- Softened butter — 100 g (moistness)
- Sugar — 150 g (sweetness)
- Baking powder — 1 tsp (leavening)
- Sesame seeds — 1 tbsp (crunchy topping)
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C and butter a rectangular pan.
- Cream the softened butter with sugar, then beat in the eggs one by one.
- Add the grated cheese and cream, mix.
- Fold in the rice flour and baking powder until a smooth, slightly runny batter forms.
- Pour into the pan, sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm, with coffee.
How it was made : Salvadoran quesadilla (unrelated to Mexican tortilla quesadilla) was traditionally made with rice flour and local queso fresco, baked in wood-fired ovens. Sold warm by pupuserías and street vendors, it was the merienda shared at coffee time.
The contemporary twist : Cut into small cubes and serve as mignardises for a chic snack—the sweet-salty always surprises.
Consuelo Suncín · Charactorium
