hand made tostadas with black beans and queso fresca

The Food Genius Awoke this morning dreaming of corn tortillas- fresh, soft, hand pressed tortillas cooked on the griddle. Oh yes.
Well, since your humble Food Genius is leaving for Australia in a little more than a week, this was a perfect chance for me to make things from scratch- and use up some items already here in the house.
Since I already had instant masa and dried black beans in the pantry, I decided to go ahead and make a from scratch Mexican meal. I didn't have cheese, but I did have milk and lemons, so I made some farmers cheese.
This was not so difficult as it sounds. Really! Try it, there is nothing like fresh corn tortillas.

Tostadas with Refried Black Beans and Queso Fresca

Refried black beans

2 cups dried black beans (soaked over night)
1 bay leaf
8 cups water
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1 tsp. baking soda

Put all ingredients together in a heavy bottomed pot and heat on medium high until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are soft. The baking soda helps the beans cook quicker and is also said to reduce gas (so far I find this true).

To refry the black beans- drain your beans and add to a pot heating over medium high heat. Add 1 or 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic and 1 tsp. cumin, plus 1 tsp. hot sauce. Let simmer until thickened.


Tortillas

I had some Quaker instant masa and used the directions on the package to make 12 tortillas. Mix about 2 cups instant masa with 1 1/3 cup warm water and 1/2 tsp. salt. I like to take the dough and roll into a large ball, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 15 minutes. Once the dough is rested, separate into 12 balls about 1 inch thick, keeping covered. Press in tortilla press and cook on a well heated griddle for about 1 minute on each side. Keep warm on a plate covered with a towel.

Queso Fresca

Take about 1/3 gallon low fat milk and 2 cups buttermilk- heat over medium high in a heavy bottomed pot until boiling. Add juice of one lemon to curdle the milk. Line a colander over the sink with cheesecloth and pour your curdled milk into the colander; drain. Stir the curdled milk a bit to let the whey drain. Take all corners of the cheesecloth and pull together and lift up, allowing further draining. Tie with a string and hang for about 30 minutes over the pot, to let all the whey drain out. Unwrap and Viola, a small ball of cheese!

I toasted a couple tortillas in the toaster oven until crispy, and then slathered them with the refried black beans. I then crumbled the queso and sprinkled that on top. I added some thinly sliced romaine and extra hot sauce.

My house smells GOOD right now. Make this!!