The Tortilla Cookbook by Sarah Cook

The Tortilla Cookbook by Sarah Cook. 

Published 26th August 2021 in hardback by Seven Dials.

From the cover of the book:

Inspired by the viral TikTok trend #TortillaChallenge, this cookbook is packed with 60 quick, easy and delicious wrap recipes that you can make for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

The concept is simple: you cut a slit in a tortilla and then top each quadrant with a different ingredient, then, you fold the tortilla over on itself and toast it, fry it or just eat it as is!

There's never been a simpler way of creating a tasty, nutritious meal in a matter of minutes. Whether you're looking for a filling breakfast, lunch to go, or quick fix dinner; this book has you covered. With each recipe accompanied by a photo, chapters include:

• BRILLIANT BREAKFAST & BRUNCH
• EVERYDAY FAVOURITES
• LOVE YOUR LEFTOVERS
• EASY CHEESY
• SWEET TREATS

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I am a bit of an cookbook addict and have quite a number in my collection, covering all sorts of cuisines, cooking methods, and occasions, with a smattering of books from my favourite celebrity chefs too. I don't tend to talk about them on my blog, but I was recently given the chance to try out some of the recipes from this gem of a book by Seven Dials, and chat about them on my social media feeds - so I thought I should post my review here too! 

So, what do you get? This is a very nice quality, small format hardback cookery book with lots of ideas about how to pack tasty fillings into tortillas to brighten up your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, inspired by the TikTok trend #TortillaChallenge. There are a variety of both savoury and sweet options - yes, tortillas make great desserts too - and each recipe is accompanied by a full colour photo showing you exactly how to arrange the fillings, which is very handy.

This book introduced me to a new way of filling a wrap as the method involves making a slit in the tortilla, filling quadrants (or sometimes thirds) with different ingredients, and then carefully folding it over itself - you then either fry, or toast the folded tortilla, or eat it as it is. Simple!

There is a knack to getting the proportions and folds right, but you soon catch on, and folding the tortilla this way is a surprisingly effective at containing the fillings - whilst allowing you to enjoy a blend of al the ingredients in each bite.

For the toasted options, I used a sandwich toaster - opt for a deep fill one if you can, as the tortillas can be quite chunky when folded. However, you can easily use a frying pan instead, turning over the wrap halfway through the cooking time. The choice is yours!

I tried out several of the recipes, covering a variety of savoury and sweet options, and have included a few below to give you a flavour, with pictures to feast your eyes upon.

The Chic-Greek Toastie

Welcome to the Chic-Greek Toastie: a mix of herby courgettes, tomatoes, olives, feta and mozzarella in the different quadrants to evoke the feeling of sun-drenched holidays! 

This is a toasted option, so I popped it into the sandwich toaster for two minutes, until golden brown. I loved the way the melty cheese layer goes all the way around the outside here, wrapping everything up in cheesy yumminess. 

I also tried a feta/extra-mature-cheddar combination in pursuit of cheesy variety, which gives an extra kick of flavour.

Portuguese Sardine

This is the easy-peasy Portuguese Sardine tortilla: Sardines, tomato paste, mayonnaise, tomatoes and salad leaves - again, in a quadrant formation.

This is a very simple assemble and eat option, which makes it ideal for packed-lunches and picnics. Healthy, delicious and almost like lunch in the sunny Algarve! 

I also tried this with a tinned mackerel and sundried tomato combination which was yummy! 

Salted Caramel Banana Bread

Next was  a sweet offering, which was a bit of a revelation as I have not thought of using them this way before. 

Behold the Salted Caramel Banana Bread tortilla... a mix of chocolate spread/Biscoff spread, crumbled cake, banana & caramel sauce toasted to a crisp sweet-treat delight! Perfect for those of you with a sweet tooth.

I also experimented with a chocolate spread, crumbled flapjack, banana and honey version, which was delicious too.

My favourite thing about this book is how inspirational it is. It not only gives you some really interesting flavour combinations in the recipes, but also sets your mind buzzing with ideas of your own to try in the spirit of adventure! 

Here is an example of a bit of free-styling...

This option included ham, baby salad leaves, tomatoes, a cheddar/feta mix, and my choice of chutney (Mrs Ball's Chutney in this case, which hales from South Africa and is delicious).

I am happy to report that this was resounding success all round!

The recipes can all be adapted to fit what you have in your fridge or cupboards, swapping ingredients in and out as you wish - and there are tips about how you can make them suitable for vegetarians and vegans, and also information to show how the use of gluten-free wraps can make them an easy option for celiacs and those who are intolerant to gluten.

I absolutely love this little book. It has opened up my mind to all sorts of possibilities, and showed me how very versatile tortillas can be in terms of meal time options and snacks. Quick, easy and delicious! I cannot recommend The Tortilla Cookbook highly enough.

The Tortilla Cookbook is available to buy now from your favourite book retailer.

Thank you to Seven Dials for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Sarah Cook is a food writer, food stylist and former food editor at BBC Good Food Magazine. She is always up for a recipe challenge and loves creating innovative new dishes with big and bold flavours. She is based in London.