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Max Halley's folded fried tortilla wraps – recipes

Yes, we’ve all seen these cheeky “foldies” (TM) on the internet by now, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a bad idea. Not only are they fun to make, they are a great way of illustrating just how important proper layering is in the construction of a good sandwich. And how nice it is when things are covered in mayonnaise before cooking. And, for that, we should be forever thankful.

Leftover bolognese, mozzarella and pickled veg

Imagine that you had bolognese for tea last night (as many of us have), before drinking too much wine over Zoom, and have now woken up a little worse for wear. Tick-tock, the sarnie clock.

Prep 15 min
Cook 20 min
Makes 1

½ aubergine, cut lengthways
Olive oil, for greasing
½ carrot, cut into the tiniest pieces you can manage
¼ onion, cut into the tiniest pieces you can manage
⅓ celery stick, cut into the tiniest pieces you can manage
2 tbsp vinegar (white-wine or malt), plus an extra slug for the mayo
1 tortilla
A few tbsp leftover bolognese sauce
1 handful grated mozzarella – the supermarket ready-grated stuff is best, because it’s drier than a chopped up ball
1 handful grated
parmesan
1 heaped tbsp mayonnaise, plus extra for smearing
1 tsp honey, to finish

Score the flesh side of the aubergine in a deep criss-cross, drizzle it with olive oil and bake in a 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7 oven until super soft (about 15 minutes). Scrape the flesh into a bowl and leave to cool (this could be done the day before).

Put the carrot, onion and celery into a ramekin, drizzle with the vinegar, and set aside to pickle – the longer in advance you do this, the better.

Pop a tortilla on a chopping board in front of you. With a knife or a pair of scissors, cut from the outside at six o’clock to the centre.

To the left of the cut and all the way up to nine o’clock, put a few tablespoons of bolognese and spread it into a nice, thick, even layer. In the following quarter and up to 12 o’clock, put a greedy handful of grated supermarket mozzarella and top with a heavy-handed grating of parmesan.

Mix the pickled veg and the extra slug of vinegar into the mayonnaise, and smear this all over the third quarter down to three o’clock. Complete the circle of sandwich life by smearing the aubergine moosh over the final quarter.

Now fold that baby up: take the cut edge at the bottom of the tortilla and fold it clockwise over each section in turn until you end up with a triangle. Spread mayonnaise all over the outside (mayonnaise is preferable to butter, because it’s made of oil and egg, so will brown very pleasingly).

Lay the tortilla pocket in a frying pan over a low-medium heat (you want to cook it slowly, so there’s time for maximum crisping and browning on the outside, while everything on the inside heats up properly and melts). When golden and crisp and melty and delicious, get the thing out, drizzle with a little honey, pick it up with a piece of greaseproof paper and, as soon as it’s a safe temperature, demolish.

Halloumi, sauerkraut and caraway

One of my culinary heroes, the great Lee Tiernan, did something very similar to this recently. During this Covid malarky, I have desperately missed both the menu at his estimable Black Axe Mangal and the reuben from Monty’s Deli – this will go some way to keeping the wolf from the door for now.

Prep 15 min
Cook 10 min
Makes 1

4 thick slices good halloumi
1 good pinch ground black pepper
1 good pinch ground coriander seeds
1 good pinch unsmoked paprika
1 good pinch garlic and/or onion powder

1 tortilla
1 hash brown
, cooked to packet instructions and crumbled up
1-2 schploofs Tabasco
1 tbsp ketchup
1 heaped tbsp mayonnaise, plus extra for smearing
1 big dill pickle/gherkin, cut into small chunks
¼ onion, cut into similar size pieces
French’s mustard
3 slices good melting cheese (such as Leerdammer)
1 handful jarred sauerkraut (the Krakus brand is excellent)
1 big pinch caraway seeds

Fry the halloumi on both sides until golden, then break up into pieces and, while it’s still hot, sprinkle liberally with the pepper, coriander, paprika and garlic powder.

Pop a tortilla on a chopping board in front of you. With a knife or a pair of scissors, cut from the outside at six o’clock up to the centre. Fill the quarter to the left of the cut up to nine o’clock with the crumbled up hash brown and top with the chunks of spiced halloumi.

Mix the Tabasco, ketchup and mayo with the dill pickle and onion, and use this to fill the second quarter of the tortilla, up to 12 o’clock, then drizzle with mustard.

The third quarter is for the melting cheese slices, broken up. Put the sauerkraut in the final quarter and top with a scattering of caraway seeds.

Fold as before, by folding the cut edge of the tortilla clockwise to nine o’clock and then over the remaining quarters in turn until you have a triangle. Smear all over with mayonnaise, lay your triangle of goodness in a frying pan set over a low-medium heat and fry until golden and delicious. Remove from the pan, leave to cool a little, then pick up in a sheet of greaseproof paper and dig in.

Biscoff spread, crushed nuts and malt loaf

I love eggy bread. I don’t know who Mephistopheles is, but I’d sell him my soul for some eggy bread. This is naughty.

Prep 15 min
Cook 5 min
Makes 1

1 tortilla
2 heaped
tbsp Biscoff spread, or chocolate spread, or your favourite nut butter
2 heaped tbsp cream cheese
A few handfuls
crushed nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts or walnuts)
Pomegranate molasses or honey (if using honey, mix with 1 tsp white-wine or malt vinegar))
2 slices Soreen malt loaf or Jamaican ginger cake, toasted, cooled and crumbled up
1 egg
1 tsp milk
1 tsp double cream
(optional)
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp caster sugar



Pop a tortilla on a chopping board in front of you. With a knife or a pair of scissors, cut from the outside at six o’clock right to the centre. Fill the quarter to the left of the cut up to nine o’clock with your spread of choice.

Fill the next quarter with the cream cheese, and the third quarter with the crushed nuts, and drizzle the pomegranate molasses (or honey and vinegar) all over them. Put the crumbled malt loaf or ginger cake in the final quarter.

Fold up by taking the cut edge of the tortilla and folding it clockwise over each section until you have a triangle. Beat the egg with the milk and cream, then indulge your naughty side by dunking the whole thing into the beaten egg mixture, so it’s coated all over.

Lay the tortilla triangle in a frying pan over a low-medium heat and, once it’s golden and looking rather fetching, take it out. Mix the cinnamon into the sugar, sprinkle over the top, and leave to cool (remember, hot things filled with sugar are often hotter than the sun), then pick it up in greaseproof paper and tread carefully.

• Max Halley is the owner of Max’s Sandwich Shop, London N4, and co-author with Ben Benton of Max’s Sandwich Book (Bonnier Books, £16.99)