On the way back from Indianapolis, we stopped at Rosa's Mexican restaurant in Arkedelphia, Arkansas. I wrote about it. I am still amazed at how many vegetarian dishes were on their menu. I tried the spinach taquitos and decided I had to recreate them at home.
Now, I hemmed and hawed a bit but when I found the sopapilla recipe I wrote about yesterday, I knew I could make these. I have now actually made them multiple times and they are a requested dinner item. That is a hit in my book.
They get served around here with homemade guacamole and salsa. Sometimes a salad. They are very filling though.
amaranth, bean, and cheese taquitos
1 recipe sopapillas
(I found this works best if the dough is refrigerated)
a large handful or double handful of amaranth or spinach, well washed, stems removed, and chopped
1/4 onion, peeled and chopped fine
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 to 1 cup cooked beans of your choice
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ancho chile pepper
1/8 teaspoon chipolte chile pepper
1/2 teaspoon smokey paprika
1 cup very sharp white cheddar, grated
flour for rolling out the dough
oil for frying
Put the oil for frying in a deep pan. I use a cast iron chicken fryer. Heat over medium high heat slowly.
In a skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until start getting golden. Add in the spinach. This takes a bit to cook down. Cook until it starts to wilt. Add the beans. Add the seasonings. Let cook a few minutes more and stir well. Get all the flavors mixed through.
Dust a surface with flour. Roll out a golf ball size of dough into a round. Put a couple tablespoons of the amaranth mixture down the center. Sprinkle with the sharp cheddar. Bring the long ends toward the center. Roll up and press the ends into the other dough. I found that this fashion works best for folding.
Put into the frying oil one at a time. Cook until golden all over. The oil needs to be hot but not too hot so all the sopapilla dough cooks.
Drain.
These taquitos are really hot even after a sit to drain so please be careful. They are so yummy you may not wait long enough to really eat them well.