Serves 6 to 8
• 2 lbs. tomatillos
• 4 medium-sized jalapeño peppers, peeled, seeded, and minced
• 6 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro or coriander leaves (packed)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup finely chopped onions
• vegetable oil for frying
• 1 lb. panella cheese, cut in thin strips (or fresh mozzarella)
• 16 corn tortillas
• ½ lb. farmer cheese, crumbled
• optional garnish
• hot sauce
1. Peel the dry skins off the tomatillos, wash them, and boil them in lightly salted water for 7 to 10 minutes, or until they are just soft. Drain, purée them in a blender, and put them in a saucepan with the minced jalapeño peppers, 4 tablespoons of the chopped cilantro, the salt, and ½ cup of the chopped onions. Simmer the sauce gently for about 40 minutes.
2. Heat a very small amount of vegetable oil in a pan and fry a tortilla in it for about 20 seconds on each side. Put 1 ounce of the panella cheese strips on it, spread about 1 teaspoon of the green sauce over the cheese, and sprinkle 1 rounded teaspoon of the remaining onions over the sauce. Roll the tortilla securely around the filling. Continue filling the tortillas in this manner until all the tortillas and cheese are used up. Add a little more oil to the pan whenever necessary.
3. Arrange the enchiladas seam side down and close together in a lightly oiled baking dish and spoon the remaining sauce over them. Bake the enchiladas in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, then sprinkle the crumbled farmer cheese and the remaining cilantro over them and serve immediately.
4. Hot sauce can be passed separately for those who really want to clear their heads!
5. A kind of Mexican green tomato—small, hard, and covered with a dry husk. Do not confuse tomatillos with unripe common tomatoes. The tomatillos have a distinct, tart flavor and are inedible unless cooked.
6. If they are not available fresh, jalapeño peppers can be bought canned. The peppers canned by Ortega have always been very good, in my opinion. Be sure to wash your hands carefully after handling hot peppers, and don’t touch your eyes for at least an hour or two afterward.
