Sincronizadas Especial

     Sincronizadas are basically “Quesadillas” with ham and cheese. Pretend you've never made a Quesadilla (kay suh dee ya). A basic quesadilla is just a flour tortilla warmed, sprinkled with cheese, folded and served. A sincronizada goes a step farther, using two tortillas, not folded, sprinkled with cheese and ham, and tossed on a griddle. They're quick, tasty, and easy to modify to your liking. I added hongos (mushrooms) and salsa to mine today. You can add whatever you like, ham and cheese are kind of what separates the quesadillas from sincronizadas. The beauty of sincronizadas is that they can be served any time of the day. They can be a snack, an appetizer, or a main course. This calls for two tortillas, but if it's your snack, and you're not that hungry (or think you don't need to eat that much right now) you can make it with one tortilla and fold it like a quesadilla. I won't tell anyone. I warn you, if you make a whole one, you will eat a whole one.

     I keep homemade SALSA in my fridge all the time, as my wife likes it for a snack regularly. Some will call this salsa is a pico de gallo, but I choose not to enter that skirmish. I just make it, people eat it all gone, and ask me to make more. Click on that dark bold word "salsa" and it will take you to the recipe for it by opening another page so you don't lose this page. Good stuff. Not too hot. She's not a big fan of anything too hot.
     OK,  let's do this. I use a round cast iron griddle I bought at an antique / collectible / second hand store. You can use whatever you have handy that a tortilla fits on.

      This one was about $10. Made before 1950 (It's older than me). It cost me a few dollars to strip and season it, that's still pretty cheap for one of the old ones.  When I use it I picture some little ol' gramma working over a wood cook stove. Probably because that's how I remember my Grandma. Put that baby on one burner and a skillet on another burner, and turn them on low to warm them up. While they're warming, we'll slice some hongos (mushrooms) to saute. Just look at all that Spanish!

 That is if you like hongos.  I like Cremini.  Kick the skillet up to medium and when it hits heat, add the mushrooms and saute long enough to get aromatic and let off a little water. Once that's done take them out of the skillet, set them aside, and we'll saute a little of that salsa to dry it out. We don't want a soggy sincronizada.

       Time to put a tortilla on that warm griddle. Sprinkle a little cheese, I used Monterey Jack because I like how it melts easily. Sometimes I have Pepper Jack and use it to add a little heat. Use the cheese of your choice! Now, spread some ham over the cheese, add the hongos and salsa or whatever you want on yours, toss a little more cheese on that and top it with a second tortilla. Let this warm for a minute, then carefully flip it over. Hopefully the two layers of cheese have melted enough to hold it together for you. Don't wait too long though, or the bottom tortilla gets too stiff and breaky. Good word, huh? Probably Norwegian. Uffda. OK, a minute on the second side and that will make sure the cheese is melted. Slice it into as many pieces as you like and serve that puppy! Comerse el sincronizada entero!
     Guacamole, hot sauce, and sour cream are optional dipping choices.