* Note: See the "Corn Tortillas" recipe which is included in this collection.

For the Ancho chile salsa, place the chiles in a dry frying pan over moderate heat. Toast, turning frequently, until the skin blisters and darkens very slightly, 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat.

Bring the water and vinegar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the chiles, remove from the heat and let soak 20 minutes to soften.

Place the garlic, half the diced onion, the oregano and cumin in a blender or food processor. Add the chiles and soaking liquid. Blend until smooth. The salsa may be made a day or 2 ahead and then refrigerated.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Pour the vegetable oil into a large skillet and heat over medium heat. One at a time, dip the tortillas in the chile salsa and shake off any excess.

Transfer the tortillas, one at a time, to the hot pan and saute 10 seconds on each side. Drain on a rack.

Lay all of the tortillas out on a counter. Reserve 1/4 cup of the grated cheese. Divide the remaining cheese into 12 portions and spoon onto the lower half of each tortilla. Divide the remaining diced onion evenly and sprinkle over the cheese. Roll up each tortilla to form a tube.

Arrange the enchiladas on a baking tray, seam side down, and bake 3 to 5 minutes or until heated through. With a spatula, transfer the warm enchiladas to a serving platter. Place about a spoonful of Ancho chile salsa over each enchilada. Sprinkle with the reserved cheese and serve, passing the extra salsa at the table.

This recipe yields 6 appetizer servings or 4 entree servings.