Baked Huauzontle with Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 800 g ripe tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 1 Garlic clove
• 1 red chili pepper
• olive oil
• 150 ml Vegetable broth
• Salt
• Pepper (freshly ground)
• 800 g huauzontle
• 2 Eggs
• 4 slices cheese (e.g., Quesadilla, halved)
• 150 g flour

Instructions

1. 1.

   For the sauce wash and quarter the tomatoes, then roughly chop. Peel and finely dice the onion and garlic. Wash the chili, halve it lengthwise, seed it, and finely chop. Sauté the onion and garlic in a pot with 2 tbsp hot oil, add the tomatoes and broth, season with salt and pepper, and simmer over medium heat for about 25 minutes.

2. 2.

   Meanwhile wash the huauzontle, shake off excess water, and remove the tough stems. Blanch the greens in boiling salted water for 3-4 minutes, drain, shock in cold water, dry well, and squeeze out excess moisture.

3. 3.

   Beat the eggs in a shallow dish, season with salt and pepper.

4. 4.

   Take some huauzontle, place a narrow strip of cheese on it, cover with more huauzontle, press firmly together. First coat in flour, then dip in beaten egg.

5. 5.

   Heat plenty of oil in a pot (when small bubbles rise from the wooden spoon handle, the oil is hot) and fry the huauzontle parcels until golden brown all around.

6. 6.

   Remove and drain on paper towels.

7. 7.

   Pass the tomato sauce through a fine sieve or a colander to remove solids, season with salt and pepper. Add more broth if needed or let the sauce reduce slightly.

8. 8.

   Serve plated with the huauzontle parcels.