2-4cupsof your favorite Mexican cheeses(coarsely grated/shredded)
25-30small yellow corn tortillas
Instructions
Pre-heat your oven to 385 degrees F.
Saute your onion in a little bit of oil [approx 2 TBSP] to soften.
Next combine bell pepper, beans, and salsa in a large bowl.
Add onions to the mix and season with chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, cilantro, cayenne, oregano.
Salt to taste [use less with canned beans and more with fresh]
Next wrap a small stack of corn tortillas [4-5] in a damp paper towel and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Follow it up with an additional 30 seconds. The goal here is to steam the tortillas so they roll into perfect flautas without breaking or cracking and this quick-steam trick works like a charm! I highly suggest to work in small batches of 4-5 tortillas so they stay warm while you're filling/rolling them. It's so much easier that way!
Once steamed, spray or rub one side of the tortilla with oil and add a thin layer of veggie filling vertically along the center of the opposite [un-oiled] of the tortilla. Top it off with a layer of cheese [as much or as little as you want!] and gently roll the tortilla.
tip: your steamed tortillas will naturally start to curl around each other in the stack. This is a total advantage since they naturally want to roll! When you unwrap your tortillas from the paper towel, oil the side facing up and then put the filling on the side that is curling inwards. Viola!
Seal each flauta shut with two toothpicks and place on a wire baking/cooling rack. Repeat these steps until you have a rack full of flautas. Once you'e ready to bake, give them one more teeny spritz of oil and place the wire rack on on a foil-lined baking sheet. The wire rack elevates the flautas and allows them to get nice and crispy on both sides.
Sprinkle the finished product with a dash of, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Prefer to keep it mild? Simply the sub cayenne with paprika. Bake on the middle rack, at 385F, for approximately 15-18 minutes. At the very end, set oven to broil on HIGH for just under a minute to crisp the tortillas into a perfectly golden, crunchy shell. You can also flip the flautas at the halfway mark, this works especially well if you're not using a wire rack.
Notes
You'll also want to pick up some toothpicks [they'll make achieving perfectly rolled flautas a breeze!] and a few limes to serve up with the flautas. They add a burst of flavor and double as a fun garnish too!note: this recipe makes a few heaping cups of yummy flauta filling; enough for 25-30 snack-sized flautas. If you're planning on making a meal out of them, feel free to use larger tortillas!You can even freeze half for later [on it's own or after rolling it into heat-and-serve flautas for easy snacking!] or keep it in the fridge for up to four days to use in tacos, quesadillas, or anything your heart desires. It's sized to feed a crowd so feel free to halve the recipe if needed! I happen to eat like a linebacker and love having extras for lunch the following day!Nutrition Facts below are estimated using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed and enjoy!