Tank Garage Winery — Woven's: Cacio e Pepe Quesadilla with Pancetta

Woven's: Cacio e Pepe Quesadilla with Pancetta

A brilliant Italian-Mexican fusion that packs crispy, savory pancetta and a sharp punch of freshly cracked black pepper into a gooey, epic melt of Oaxaca and Pecorino Romano cheese.

Ingredients

What you need:
4 large flour tortillas (burrito size)
4 oz pancetta (diced)
8 oz Oaxaca cheese (pulled into thin strips)
1.5 cups Pecorino Romano cheese (finely grated)
1.5 tbsp whole black peppercorns (coarsely crushed)
2 tbsp unsalted butter or rendered panchetta fat

Directions

How to make it:

Crisp the pancetta & toast the pepper
In a large skillet over medium heat, fry the pancetta until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon. Pour out most of the grease, leaving a thin layer. Toss the crushed pepper into the hot pan and toast for 30 seconds until fragrant, then remove.

Assemble the quesadillas
Lay out two tortillas. Layer the bottom with half of the Oaxaca cheese, followed by a heavy layer of Pecorino, the crispy pancetta, and the toasted pepper. Top with the remaining Oaxaca cheese to glue it all together, then cap with the remaining tortillas.

Cook to golden perfection
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter or use the rendered panchetta fat in the skillet over medium-low heat. Add one quesadilla, cover with a lid for 2 minutes to melt the cheese, then flip and cook uncovered for another 2 minutes until crispy and golden. Repeat for the second quesadilla.

Finish
Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 1 minute. Dust the outside of the hot tortillas with a final sprinkle of Pecorino Romano and a pinch of black pepper. Slice into quarters and serve.