The Celebrated Murtadilla is a delicious combination of spiced Ground Beef, Pickled Peppers, and Cheese enclosed in a griddle seared Tortilla
Okay, in the spirit of full disclosure, this little snack preparation isn’t really ‘celebrated’, as such. I just put it together one day when I was hungry and liked it enough to reproduce it again. I am happy however, if you try it and decide to celebrate it yourselves in some fashion (a decent Beer, or three, perhaps).
Anyway, the rather whimsical name of this preparation comes from the fact that it is something like a cross between a Quesedilla and he lesser known mid-eastern/south-east Asian snack known as a Murtabak. A proper Murtabak uses a raw flat-bread dough (of the Roti type) folded to enclose a thick filling of meat, eggs, or whatever you like, which is then griddle fried, but the (celebrated) Murtadilla uses a prepared Tortilla which is folded Murtabak style around a spicy beef and cheese mixture before being grilled
The Method
First, fry the beef in a pan and drain off excess fat after it is thoroughly browned. Return to the heat and add the spices, stirring until fragrant, then add the onion and peppers. When the onion is just beginning to soften slightly, remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool.
Toss the cheese with the meat mixture and put half of it on one of the Tortillas to form a square mound at the center.
Now fold the edges up and across the middle to form a square package like an envelope.
Finally, eat up a little oil in a frying pan over a medium low flame and add the ‘envelope’ seam side down. Fry gently, pressing down with a spatula occasionally until the bottom is nicely browned and sealed shut, then turn it over and brown the other side as well. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and serve your ‘Murtadillas’ with Hot Sauce, Salsa, Guacamole, Chutney, or whatever tickles your fancy…
Your Recipe Card:
The Celebrated Murtadilla
Ingredients
- 2 large Flour Tortillas;
- 1/3 lb. ground Beef;
- ½ tsp. Garlic Salt;
- ½ tsp. ground Cumin Seed;
- 1 tsp. dried Chili Flakes
- 1 pinch each dried Thyme and Black Pepper;
- ¼ cup slivered Onion;
- ¼ cup. Pickled Hot Peppers sliced;
- ½ cup shredded Cheese I use a Cheddar, Monterey Jack blend.
Instructions
- Fry the ground beef until browned and drain away the fat.
- Add the spices to the pan, followed by the Onion and Peppers.
- When the onion is translucent, remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool.
- Place half of the filling in the center of a Tortilla and fold like an envelope.
- Pan-fry the package at moderate heat, seam side down, until nicely browned on the underside and then turn and cook to brown the upper surface.
- Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Serve with condiment of choice.