Name: Cilantro and Scallion Quesadillas for a Crowd
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 8 ounces provolone cheese , shredded (2 cups); 8 ounces whole-milk mozzarella cheese , shredded (2 cups); 1/4 cup minced pickled jalapeños; 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves; 2 scallions , sliced thin; 4 (10-inch) flour tortillas

Why This Recipe Works

The key to making four quesadillas in one shot lies in the timing. We discovered that it was best to bake folded tortillas on an oiled baking sheet until spotty brown (5 to 7 minutes) and then fill them with a full cup of shredded provolone mixed with mozzarella, flavored with minced jarred jalapeño chiles, fresh cilantro, and scallion. A quick return to the oven finishes the browning process, without the cheese oozing out all over the baking sheet. Allowing the quesadillas to cool slightly before cutting them into wedges helps the cheese set up.

Before You Begin

Cooling the quesadillas before cutting is important; straight from the oven the cheese is molten and will ooze out. Shred the cheese on the large holes of a box grater. Serve the quesadillas with pico de gallo, guacamole, or sour cream.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Brush rimmed baking sheet with oil.

Combine provolone, mozzarella, jalapeños, cilantro, and scallions in bowl. Fold tortillas in half. Arrange folded tortillas in single layer on prepared sheet with rounded edges facing center of sheet.

Bake until tortilla tops and edges begin to turn spotty brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Flip tortillas over. Using tongs, open each tortilla and fill each with equal amount of cheese mixture (about 1 cup each), leaving 1-inch border. Close tortillas and press firmly with spatula to compact.

Return quesadillas to oven and continue to bake until crisp around edges and golden brown on second side, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Remove from oven and press quesadillas gently with spatula to deflate any air bubbles. Transfer to wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Slice each quesadilla into 4 wedges and serve.