Pinto Bean Quesadillas with Roasted Pepper Salsa

Steps

1. Prep first: seed and quarter the bell pepper, halve the tomato, halve and seed the jalapeño, dice the red onion, mince the garlic, chop the spinach and cilantro, shred the cheddar and mozzarella, and thaw the frozen corn kernels.
2. Heat a large dry skillet over medium-high heat. Char the bell pepper, tomato and jalapeño, turning, until blistered and soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Move to a board to cool slightly.
3. Make the salsa: finely chop the charred bell pepper, tomato and jalapeño, then stir them with half the red onion, half the garlic, the cilantro, the lime juice and half the salt. Set aside.
4. In the same skillet, warm half the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the remaining half of the red onion for 3 minutes, then add the remaining half of the garlic, the cumin and the smoked paprika and stir for 30 seconds.
5. Add the pinto beans, the water and the remaining half of the salt. Mash roughly with a fork as they heat, about 3 minutes. Stir in the thawed corn kernels and the spinach and cook until the spinach wilts and the corn is hot. Scrape the filling into a bowl and wipe out the skillet.
6. Lay out all 8 tortillas. Spread one eighth of the bean filling over half of each tortilla, scatter one eighth of the cheddar and one eighth of the mozzarella on top, and fold closed.
7. Set the skillet over medium heat and brush it with one quarter of the remaining olive oil. Cook 2 quesadillas until golden and the cheese melts, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat three more times, using another quarter of the remaining olive oil for each batch.
8. Cut each quesadilla into wedges and serve 2 per person with the roasted pepper salsa spooned over or alongside.