Beef enchiladas

We finally broke down and made Mexican food at home. Our nice Aunt Sarah had sent us some enchilada sauce (tasty - thanks!) so all we had to do was make tortillas and the filling.

Result: Very tasty! Need to work on making tortillas softer. It could also have been spicier (maybe add more chili to beef?). If we get this recipe down, we're really never returning to the States!

The tortillas:

If you live in the sort of glorious locale where good tortillas (i.e. no additives and very tasty) are available at the store, by all means skip this step and just buy a pack.

250g plain white flour
150ml water
5g (about 1 tsp) salt

Knead ingredients together until smooth. Let sit for about 30 mins. Divide into eight. Roll each portion into a ball. Roll until 2-3mm thick. Place frying pan on medium height. Cook for about 1 minute on each side. Wrap in tea towel to steam. [Note: Mine were a little tough. Not sure if they were too thick, or needed to be kneaded more/less. Will investigate purchase of tortilla press.]

The filling:

1 3/4 lb ground beef
2 small onions, diced
Half a head of garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 cup enchilada sauce
3 tbsp vegetable oil

Saute the onion and garlic in the oil in a large frying pan. Add the beef and spices and saute until browned. Add the enchilada sauce and simmer for 30 minutes.

The assembly:

3 cups enchilada sauce
8 tortillas
1 1/2 cups grated cheese, we used a mild cheddar

Put a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a baking pan. Using a plate with raised sides, place some enchilada sauce on the plate then put a tortilla in, flipping it to cover both sides lightly in sauce. Distribute the meat and 1 cup of cheese amongst the tortillas, folding them and placing them seam down in the baking pan. Once they're all in the pan, cover them with the remaining enchilada sauce, then cover them with the remaining cheese. Bake the result at 200C/400F until the cheese is bubbly and maybe a little crispy, about 20 minutes.

Serve with sour cream, guacamole and chopped green onions.