Whether you call these flat enchiladas or enchilada casserole, this is a classic New Mexican dinner. This recipe uses seitan instead of the traditional pork to make it vegetarian, but don’t worry: the final taste comes out great.

INGREDIENTS

• 24 small yellow corn tortillas
• 24 oz seitan
• 1 small yellow onion
• 16 oz sour cream
• 12-16 oz chopped green chile. If you don’t have your own freezer full, a medium tub of Bueno is about right (and fix your freezer next time chile season comes around!)
• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
• 16-24 oz grated cheese. Colby or Jack is best; Cheddar is too oily. Try mixing in some Oaxaca or Asadero if you want to make things a little more interesting.
• vegetable oil for frying

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat a thin layer of oil in a heavy frying pan, then flash fry the tortillas. You only need a couple of seconds per side: the goal is to get the tortillas hot and soft, not cooked or crispy. Let the excess oil run off and drain the hot tortillas on paper towels while you prepare the filling. You will probably need to add additional oil to the pan halfway through.

Chop the seitan into small pieces. You should end up with a pile that looks about like ground pork. Chop the onion fairly finely.

Mix all the ingredients except tortillas and cheese in a bowl.

To make the casserole, lay 6 tortillas in a 13x9 baking dish (edges will overlap a little). Cover with a quarter of the filling, then lightly sprinkle with cheese. Repeat for four total layers. Add extra cheese to the top to fully cover.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes.

To serve, cut into squares (don’t try to preserve the tortilla shapes). Suggested accompaniments: Cotija cheese sprinkled on top, avocado slices, or Crema Mexicana (or sour cream if you can’t find it).