Red Sauce Enchiladas
So these are a close second in my house when enchiladas are on the menu; the first choice being the Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas. They are a ton easier to prepare and require far fewer ingredients. The flavor is amazing and you can control the spice easier than with the green chilies. The white corn tortillas are a must, yellow is just too tough and heavy. I use monterrey jack in the middle but have used cheddar in a pinch. A certain big box store around here only carries cheddar and mozzarella. Now, I am from Texas and, according to a few of my co-workers, cook more Mexican than they do, but I have no patience for rolled enchiladas. These are done in what you might call a layered casserole style but are in no way less Mexican for it. Plus, I think it makes it easier to cut and serve a crowd.
18 count package white corn tortillas.
8-10 cups of shredded monterrey jack cheese (or whatever cheese blend you like)
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
1 10oz. can of tomato paste
6 tablespoons of chili powder (any kind will do, no need to buy the expensive brands)
1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cumin
2 teaspoons of garlic powder
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
2-3 cups of water, depending on the desired thickness
*optional 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper or 2 chopped chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce (if you like it spicy)
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the butter over medium heat in a large pot. This will get messy so have plenty of room to stir. When the butter is melted, add the flour to make a roux and stir until the flour is incorporated. Let it get a golden brown but not all the way to a dark roux stage. Add in the tomato paste and stir to incorporate. Add the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt and stir. Add in the cayenne or chopped chipotles, if using. Stirring is difficult at this point but it's important the tomato paste and spices do not burn.
Add the water, starting with 2 cups, a little at a time. I find a whisk makes this part easier (and messier). Once the paste, water, and spices are fully mixed, turn the heat to medium high and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust the spices as necessary. If it's still a little thick, add in the 3rd cup of water and whisk again. You want it to be like a thick spaghetti sauce not tomato soup.
Meanwhile, cut the tortillas into 1/4th and get your cheese ready. Reserve at least 1 cup of cheese for the top of the enchiladas. I usually pile at least 2 cups on top, but we really like our melted cheese around here.
When the sauce has simmered, turn off the heat and move the pot to where you plan to assemble the enchiladas. I don't recommend assembling near the stove because you will have burnt cheese stuck to your burners for weeks afterwards.
Ladle 1/2 cup of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole/lasagna pan.Top with a layer of tortillas 1/4ths, slightly overlapping them to cover the sauce. Next, a layer of shredded cheese. Continue layering sauce, tortillas, and cheese until you run out of one of them or hit the top of the pan. Top with the reserved cheese. Bake for 30-40 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden around the edges. Let it cool on the counter for about 5 minutes before cutting so the cheese can solidify a little. Serve with Mexican rice and Enjoy!
