Papadzules (Eggs and Asparagus in Tortillas With Pepita Sauce)

Updated May 6, 2022

Papadzules (Eggs and Asparagus in Tortillas With Pepita Sauce)
Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
50 minutes
Rating
4(219)
Comments
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A dish from the Yucatán Peninsula in southeastern Mexico, papadzules are similar to enchiladas in that they feature tortillas that are dipped and coated in a sauce, then filled, rolled and topped with more sauce. Traditionally, papadzules are served with hard-boiled eggs and topped with a toasted pepita sauce and a spicy habanero-tomato salsa. In this late-spring version, jammy eggs and blanched asparagus serve as the filling, and an uncooked sauce of pepitas and jalapeños finishes everything off. Be sure to cook the eggs for the full 6½ minutes or the yolks will be too runny.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • Ice
  • 10large eggs
  • 1pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 8corn tortillas, preferably blue corn
  • cups pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds)
  • 3scallions, root ends trimmed, chopped
  • 2garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
  • 2jalapeños, stemmed and roughly chopped
  • cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
  • 1tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus more to taste
  • Kosher salt
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

701 calories; 42 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 15 grams polyunsaturated fat; 52 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams dietary fiber; 17 grams sugars; 42 grams protein; 1228 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Using a slotted spoon, carefully lower the eggs into the water. Cook, adjusting the heat to maintain a gentle boil, for 6½ minutes for jammy eggs with a soft and runny yolk (or longer for medium- or hard-boiled eggs). Transfer the eggs to the bowl of ice water and chill until just slightly warm, about 2 minutes. (Keep the water boiling.) Gently crack the eggs all over and peel, starting from the wider end, which contains the air pocket. That gap between egg and shell makes peeling easier. Cut the eggs into quarters. Set 8 quarters aside for serving.

  2. Step 2

    Add the asparagus to the same pot of boiling water and cook until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain, transfer to a medium bowl and let sit until ready to assemble.

  3. Step 3

    Heat a tortilla in a small skillet over medium heat, turning once, until warm, about 1 minute. Wrap in a clean kitchen towel or foil. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, stacking and wrapping them in the towel.

  4. Step 4

    Reserve ¼ cup pepitas and ¼ cup scallions for garnish. Combine remaining pepitas, remaining scallions, the garlic, jalapeños, cilantro, lime juice, 3 cups water and salt (1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt or 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal) in the jar of a blender. Purée until smooth and the consistency of heavy cream. Taste and season with salt and lime juice if necessary. Transfer to a medium bowl.

  5. Step 5

    Working one at a time and using tongs, dip a tortilla into the purée, turning to completely coat in sauce. Transfer to a baking sheet as you go.

  6. Step 6

    Arrange 4 egg quarters and a few pieces of asparagus down the center of each tortilla. Fold one side over, then roll up the tortilla. Place seam-side down on a plate. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, dividing among plates and spooning the remaining pepita purée over. Top with the reserved pepitas, scallions, egg quarters and any remaining asparagus.

Ratings

4 out of 5
219 user ratings
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Comments

Three cups of water makes the sauce too watery. Start with two or (in my attempt at a save) add 1/2 an avocado.

I found this visually stunning and . . . pretty good. For me, the raw garlic in the purée overwhelmed the other flavors (including some particularly punchy local cilantro). But if you freshly make your tortillas, as I did, you may find that the masa flavor still comes through. And this makes a very filling plate, though possibly a bit too much. I followed Whitney's advice to be skimpy with the water, and the amount they suggested -- 2 cups for the full recipe -- seemed just right.

Lots wrong here. Fire roast tortilla on burner to add body, reduce sauce to add thickness, add cheese to hold it all together, bake in oven for 15 min at 350. After the save, it was quite good.

Amidst all these fancy recipes for asparagus, I missed rhe classic version with ham egg and buttersauce.( not hollandaise ofcourse that would be awful). Here in the Netherlands the eating of asparagus is mostly done the classic way and only during the period they are freshly harvested until the 24 of June, Saint s Jan s day. After that, the fresh season is considered finished, though with climate change, that date is now more flexible.

Everybody! Buy an egg timer that changes color to tell how done the eggs are! They always work because they work based on heat absorption. I’m obsessed (and I’m not being paid by the color-changing egg timer counsel).

Easy but strange. Also may have broken my blender lol

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