Consisting of fried corn tortillas, cheese and salsa, this Mexican breakfast can be — and often is — fortified with the crack of an egg.

It’s cheap and fast to make.

Like fried rice, this dish is born out of leftovers. Stale and day-old tortilla scraps are meant for chilaquiles.

Now, a word about how this dish should be served since its recent popularity has created some discussion over presentation and authenticity. I usually see it served with just a fried egg in Mexico.

But here I once saw a family look agape when flaxseed was sprinkled onto this tortilla casserole. I’ve heard that scrambled eggs is a no-no and that only a sunny-side egg can sit atop chilaquiles. Pay these so-called purists no mind.

America is a melting pot. We incorporate dishes of our homelands to the seasonal ingredients available in our produce aisle. Our recipes get reinterpreted and evolve all the time.

This recipe comes from Gabriel Chavez, who once ran the critically acclaimed Chavez Mexican restaurant in Seattle. Chavez, a proud native of Durango, Mexico, uses two staples (mozzarella and olive oil) you would find in an Italian kitchen.

In other words, if you don’t want to trek to the market to buy Mexican chorizo as some chilaquiles recipes suggest, the Jimmy Dean in your fridge will do just fine. Your kids will love it.