Cheeeze Flautas with Cilantro Pesto

No time for chit-chat. I’m on my lunch hour and I’ve teased you enough with my two previous posts, both of which were prep-posts for the ingredients in these wonderfully Fall Flautas. Veganizing Martha’s Muffin – Entree Week’s first completed entree is both satisfying and delicious. Pair with a nice salad, some guac, and/or a few beans and you’re set! Thanks to Gluten-Free Vegan Family for helping me soften my corn tortillas. Uh, yeah, much easier than Martha’s way, which I tried on tortilla-softening-FAIL night.

Martha’s Ingredients
Serves 4

1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3/4 c. pepitas (green hulled pumpkin seeds)
1 c. loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
8 corn tortillas (6″), softened by moistening and lightly toasting over a gas burner (turn with tongs)
2 c. grated Monterrey Jack cheese
1/4 peanut oil

Scrumpdilly’s Veganized Cheese Flautas with Pepita-Cilantro Pesto (adapted from Martha Stewart Living Magazine, Oct. 2009)

4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided into two, 2 Tbsp. batches
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 c. pepitas (green hulled pumpkin seeds)
1 c. loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
8 corn tortillas, softened by placing several between two paper towels and microwaving for 30 seconds
2 c. grated (or crumbled) vegan Pepper Jack cheeeze (either pre-packaged or homemade)
2 Tbsp. peanut oil

Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a saute pan over medium-low. Cook garlic until golden, about 1 minute. Add pepitas; cook, tossing, until toasted, 2-3 minutes. Pulse to a paste in a food processor. Add cilantro, lime juice, and remaining olive oil (2 Tbsp.); pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread some pesto on a softened tortilla, top with cheese. Roll up tightly and place seam-side down until ready to cook. Repeat with remaining tortillas.

Heat peanut oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Pan-fry flautas in 2 batches, seam sides down, 1 minute. Using tongs, roll to brown evenly, cooking 1 minute more. Drain on paper towels, dabbing tops to remove excess oil.

This entry was posted on Friday, October 16th, 2009 at 3:46 pm and is filed under Main dish, Vegan MoFo 2009, Veganizing Marth's Muffin. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.