Italian-Style Quesadillas

The idea for this recipe was inspired by tortillas left over from these quesadillas and the fresh mozzarella remaining after I made these paninis. I thought making an Italian version of quesadillas, complete with tomato sauce for dipping, sounded like a delicious idea -- and it was. My brainstorm gave us a quick and easy dinner that took only 10 minutes from start to finish. And these were so, so good -- just look at all that cheese oozing out the sides!

This is a really versatile dish; as Rachael Ray would say, it's more about learning a method rather than a recipe. I chose to use pepperoni, salami, and fresh mozzarella for my filling, but any shredded Italian cheese would do, and any combination of meats and veggies would be delicious. And as for the sauce -- I suppose you could make your own quite easily, but I was perfectly content with a jarred tomato basil sauce that I jazzed up myself with my favorite blend of Italian spices. These would be a perfect appetizer to serve for a Super Bowl party, and they're a simple and delicious dinner choice any night of the week. I think kids would really love them, too. I'll have to test them out on Andrew in a few years!

Italian-Style Quesadillas
Source: Cassie

4 eight-inch flour tortillas
1/2 pound deli-sliced pepperoni
1/2 pound deli-sliced Genoa salami
12 slices fresh mozzarella cheese
1 cup jarred tomato sauce

1. To prepare the sauce, in a small pot cook sauce on medium heat or until heated through, seasoning as desired.

2. To prepare the quesadillas, top half of each tortilla with pepperoni, salami, and 3 slices of fresh mozzarella. Fold in half. Cook tortillas in a non-stick skillet until browned on both sides. Cut into wedges and serve immediately, with the sauce for dipping.