Makes 8 to 10

A good enchilada requires a good chili sauce.  For this recipe you may use your favorite commercial canned chili sauce or try this Red Chili Sauce recipe. And remember, the chili sauce used for making enchiladas is a smooth, cooked chili sauce, not a salsa like you would serve with tortilla chips.  Traditionally, lard would be used for softening the tortillas, however today, even in Mexico, may people are switching to olive oil for health reason.  You may use either in this recipe.  You will notice that I use a combination of readily available cheeses.  There are Mexican equivalents that would of course make the dish more authentic.  I don’t list them for two reasons:

            1. Mexican cheeses are not available everyplace.

            2. I find Mexican cheeses incredibly salty.

If you prefer however, of course use the Mexican equivalents.

The Filling:

About 2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 or 4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 or 2 Anaheim chilies, chopped

1 or 2 Jalapeño or Serrano chilies, (or to taste)

About 2 cups mashed, pre cooked pinto beans

About 1 cup pre cooked rice

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder or taco seasoning

About 1 teaspoon sugar

The juice of 2 limes

Chili sauce

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and sauté the garlic and onion until golden brown.  Add the chilies and continue to sauté over moderate heat until soft.  Beans and rice, oregano and chili powder, sugar and lime juice and continue to sauté for a minutia or two, until well blended.  Add about a cup of chili sauce and the cilantro.  You want enough to moisten the mixture but not enough to make it sloppy.  Cook for another minute or two and set aside.

To Assemble:

Olive oil

Chili sauce

About 1 ½ cups each, grated Jack or Mozzarella and sharp Cheddar cheese*

Corn tortillas

About a cup of Ricotta cheese*

More green chili sauce

Chopped fresh cilantro

If you are going to cook the enchiladas now, pre heat the oven to 350°.  No need to do this if you are going to freeze them or cook them later.   Daha...

You will need two heavy skillets.  In one, heat about an inch of oil over medium heat.  In the other, put about an inch of chili sauce and heat to medium.  Grate the cheeses and toss together. 

With a pair of kitchen tongs, pick up a tortilla and dip it into the medium hot oil or lard.  You want it hot enough to soften but not hot enough to fry.  You need the tortilla to be flexible.  When the tortilla is soft, just a few seconds, lift it out of the oil with the tongs and drain it quickly on each side on a paper towel or piece of brown paper bag, then dip it in the heated chili sauce.  Lay the dipped tortilla on a flat surface and place about two tablespoons of the filling in a line down the center.  Sprinkle this with about a generous teaspoon of ricotta, then with the same of the grated cheese.  Roll the tortilla up and place it in a baking dish with the seam side down.  Continue until you run out of ingredients.  Pour any remaining chili sauce over the top and sprinkle lightly with the chopped cilantro.  Top with a sprinkling of the cheeses.

 If you are going to bake them now, place them in the preheated oven until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese melted, about thirty to forty-five minutes.  Serve hot with a garnish of more chopped fresh cilantro and perhaps a dollop of sour cream or Mexican crema.

 I you are entertaining, you may make these ahead, cover them with foil and cook the next day, or you may freeze them for cooking later.  Thaw before baking.

You can of course turn this into a vegan dish by leaving out the cheeses but it tends to be a bit under-whelming.

* If you are a vegan substitute crumbled extra-firm Tofu for the cheeses.