Cards, stogies – need we say more? Fifty years after the missile crisis, this is our ode to the Cuban sandwich gone wrong, but really right. Grilling the tortilla gives it some nice crispness, so don’t fall to temptation and skip a step. It’s this extra little effort that gets you the perfect snack, so this is your go-to Cuban quesadilla recipe.

Ingredients

1 (1 1lb) pork tenderloin
3/4 tablespoon cumin
3/4 tablespoon oregano
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
8 flour tortillas
4 slices ham
8 sliced Swiss cheese
4 sour pickles, sliced thin
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Hot sauce, to taste
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Yield: 4 quesadillas

Directions

Preheat oven to 375˚F.

This Cuban quesadilla recipe gets is magic from the pork, and combining it with cheese and pickles. It may sound non-traditional, but we guarantee everyone from your kids to your friends with high-brow taste will love this Cuban quesadilla recipe. To begin, pat pork dry and season with oregano, cumin, paprika, garlic, salt, and pepper. Place pork on a roasting rack over a sheet tray. Bake about 25 minutes until meat thermometer registers 145˚F. Remove from oven and let cool. Cut pork into 1/4-inch thick slices.

Now it’s time to make your sauce, which is as easy as adding mayonnaise, mustard, and hot sauce to a small bowl, literally. Make sure to mix well all the ingredients well. You’ll also want to set aside some extra sauce for your guests to dip as well.

Next for the Cuban quesadilla recipe is to cook the tortillas on a grill or grill pan, about 1 minute per side. Remember not to skip this step, as it does make a difference. Once you’ve warmed up the tortillas, place them flat on a work surface. Brush the mayonnaise mixture on 1 side of each tortilla. Lay an even layer of sliced pork on 4 of the tortillas, then add 2 pieces of prosciutto or ham on top of the pork. Now it’s time to add an even layer of pickle slices and cheese on top of ham, which really makes this Cuban quesadilla recipe. Then top each stack with the remaining tortillas, sauce-side down.

Wrap the quesadillas in tinfoil and bake in oven for 8–10 minutes until cheese has melted and quesadillas are warmed through. Cut each quesadilla into 6 pieces and serve.

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