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Cooking

Enchisagna

20140613-enchisagna
I love me some enchiladas, but I don’t always feel like prepping the tortillas properly and individually rolling the enchiladas…. enter enchisagna. Enchisagna is created by layering your enchilada ingredients like a lasagna. The baking dish I used in this photo is perfectly sized for a large corn tortilla to fit in it. However, I have cut corn tortillas in half and placed them next to each other to create the tortilla layer in larger baking dishes.

I start by placing a layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Next, I place a layer of tortilla, then a layer of chicken, then a layer of cheese, and finally a layer of sauce. Repeat this layering process 2 to 3 times. For the final layer, I place my corn tortilla(s) then pour in a generous amount of enchilada sauce and finally top the dish with cheese. I bake my enchisagna in a 425 degree oven until the sauce in the dish is simmering (about 15 to 20 minutes). The chicken I use is breast meat that I season with garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, Mexican oregano, chilli powder, salt, and pepper. I cover the chicken and bake it for about 30 to 40 minutes at 325 degrees. I love chicken enchisagna but beef or cheese enchisagna with a red sauce is great too. Also, the fresher your corn tortillas are, the better. It is excellent if you have a tortilla press and make them yourself but I find the next best thing is finding a market that makes fresh tortillas and using those. Lastly, try using a quesadilla or enchilado cheese. Manchego cheese can be great too.

Enchisagna has many virtues but I love how you get a perfectly saucy bite each time. I also love that I can assemble this dish relatively quickly and its great to assemble in advance and bake when you get home from doing whatever you are doing.