Taquitos

[Katherine]

5 oz ricotta cheese
2 teaspoons serrano chile, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
6 flour tortillas or corn tortillas
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• In a bowl, mix together the cheese, chiles and salt.
• Heat the tortillas briefly on a griddle to make them pliable.
• Spoon one-sixth of the cheese mixture onto each tortilla and spread it in a straight line near one edge so that none can spill out or burn during frying.
• Carefully roll each tortilla tightly into a cigar-like shape and secure firmly with a toothpick.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown 3 taquitos at a time, turning on each side. Remove from oil and drain excess oil on paper towels.
• Remove the toothpick, cut off and discard ends. Then cut each large taquito equally into thirds.
• Serve immediately or chill for up to 2 hours. Reheat in the oven before serving.

Makes 18 taquitos