Chilango fried quesadillas: the street antojito with pumpkin flower and huitlacoche

What is it?

Fried quesadillas are one of the most representative antojitos of Mexico City street food: large oval tortillas of nixtamalised maize masa, made by hand on the spot, filled generously with traditional stews such as huitlacoche, pumpkin flower, wild mushrooms, requesón with epazote, tinga or brain, closed in a half-moon shape and fried in a casserole with pork lard or hot oil until golden and crisp outside, with the filling melted and hot inside. They are accompanied by chopped onion, coriander, green or red salsa, and a touch of lime. They are the stars of the street stalls in markets such as La Lagunilla, San Juan, Coyoacán, Tepito and Jamaica, as well as countless travelling tianguis stalls that go through the neighbourhoods of Mexico City every day of the week. The eternal discussion of whether a quesadilla has cheese or not, a feature of chilango speech, reflects the richness of variants and the identity strength of this antojito.

Origin and history

Fried quesadillas are direct heirs of the pre-Hispanic antojitos of nixtamalised maize masa, a technique documented since pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. The name quesadilla comes from Spanish as a diminutive of cheese, and was initially used for folded tortillas filled with cheese. However, in central Mexico, particularly in Mexico City, the term was generalised to name any folded tortilla filled with stew, whether or not it had cheese, which gave rise to one of the country's most celebrated linguistic and gastronomic disputes: the question of whether a quesadilla contains cheese or not. Colonial and 19th-century recipe books such as El Cocinero Mexicano (1831) already mention quesadillas with various fillings. The fried version in lard, called fried quesadilla or sincronizada, was consolidated in chilango markets and tianguis during the 20th century, especially in the 1950s-1980s, when the street antojito format experienced a boom. Blue masa, made with nixtamalised black or blue maize, is typical of the most traditional quesadillas and provides a deeper, more mineral flavour. Fried quesadillas with traditional stews such as huitlacoche, pumpkin flower and mushrooms are emblems of chilango cuisine and of the rainy season, when these wild ingredients are at their best.

Characteristic ingredients

The masa can be white or blue: the blue one, made with nixtamalised maize from pigmented varieties, is the most traditional and provides a more mineral flavour. It is formed by hand into large oval tortillas, about fifteen to twenty centimetres, leaving them slightly thicker than a normal tortilla to withstand frying. The classic fillings are: huitlacoche, a black mushroom that grows on infected maize cobs, considered Mexican caviar for its deep, earthy flavour; pumpkin flower, fresh, stewed with onion and epazote; wild mushrooms such as those from Milpa Alta or cultivated pleurotus, sautéed with onion and serrano; requesón with epazote; stewed beef brain; chicken or pork tinga in chipotle; pressed chicharrón; potato with chorizo. Some versions have Oaxaca cheese inside alongside the stew. They are closed in a half-moon, pressing the edges to seal, and fried in a deep casserole with plenty of hot lard or oil, submerged, until uniformly golden. They are accompanied by raw chopped onion, fresh coriander, green tomatillo salsa or red tomato salsa, and lime. Chile pasilla salsa with roasted tomatillo is typical of some stalls.

Cultural significance

Fried quesadillas are intangible gastronomic heritage of Mexico City and an emblem of chilango street culture. They form part of the urban landscape of tianguis, markets and neighbourhood corners, where they are one of the best-selling antojitos alongside tacos al pastor and tamales. The eternal chilango discussion about whether a quesadilla has cheese, popularised on social media and on TV programmes, is one of the most identifiable cultural topics in the country. Traditional Mexican Cuisine, declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010, embraces preparations of nixtamalised maize and traditional stews as pillars of gastronomic identity. Economically, fried quesadillas support a huge network of traditional cooks, masa producers, huitlacoche sellers in markets such as La Merced or Xochimilco, pumpkin-flower farmers and wild mushroom gatherers in areas such as Milpa Alta, Mil Cumbres or the State of Mexico. Chefs such as Enrique Olvera (at Pujol) and Gabriela Cámara (at Contramar) have taken traditional quesadillas to the haute cuisine scene, keeping alive a recipe and a ritual that defines the culinary identity of the Valley of Mexico.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between fried quesadillas and comal quesadillas?

Comal quesadillas are cooked dry on a hot comal or griddle, with little or no fat, and are typically filled with Oaxaca cheese that melts. Fried quesadillas are submerged in hot lard or oil and become crisp outside, with thicker masa and varied fillings such as huitlacoche, pumpkin flower, mushrooms or tinga, with or without cheese.

What do fried quesadillas taste like?

The fried masa is crisp and golden outside, with the deep flavour of nixtamalised maize, more intense if it is blue masa. The filling varies: huitlacoche brings an earthy flavour, almost wild-mushroom and truffle; pumpkin flower is vegetal and delicate; mushrooms are meaty and umami; requesón with epazote is creamy with aniseed notes. The salsas and raw onion balance the fat.

How are fried quesadillas served?

They are served freshly fried and hot, two or three per portion, on a plate or paper napkin. On top is placed chopped white onion, fresh coriander, green or red salsa to taste and a splash of lime. They are eaten by hand, taking care not to burn. They are generally accompanied by an agua fresca such as horchata, jamaica or tamarind, or by an atole in a morning version.

Where do fried quesadillas come from?

They are native to central Mexico, particularly Mexico City, where they were consolidated as a street antojito during the 20th century in markets and tianguis. The nixtamalised maize technique is pre-Hispanic, but the version fried in lard is a product of colonial mestizaje. They are an undeniable emblem of chilango cuisine and the centre of the street culture of the Valley of Mexico.