Homemade refried beans for Tostadas or anything else

[sarahceliac]

As many dry pinto beans as you want to cook.
Oil for refrying
Pot of water
Hand held potatoe masher, or anything that you can use to hand mash the beans.
Shredded cheddar or chosen cheese. Cheddar is what I use since it has that zing to give a great flavor. Use enough to give the beans a bit of a cramy flavor.
Salt

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Do not add salt while cooking. Add amount of beans that you want to cook. Be sure that the beans stay covered with water at all times during cooking. Better to have more water in the pot than not enough.
Boil beans for about 3 hours at a rapid boil until beans are very soft to the touch. You do not want them aldente for refried. When you push the bean between your thumb and pointer it should give very easily. If you do not presoak the beans than 3 hours is the average time for a good amount. Make as little or much as desired, keep a close eye on the water level and consistency of the beans.
When very soft to the touch, add enough oil ( I use veg.) to coat the bottom of a large fry pan and up in volume a little bit. You do not have to have beans drenched, just enough oil to be able to fry a little more than a shallow fry. Let the oil get to med. heat before adding the cooked beans. Add the amount of beans desired and some of the juice from the beans, let them fry for a few minutes. Start to mash them with your chosen tool. You do not need to puree with the masher, leave a texture that you can see that they are beans but not all whole. Then add salt to taste. Add shredded cheese to desired taste to make a bit creamy, that is what is giving you your flavor.

Use for what ever you want, we use them for tostandas and burritos and a side.
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Sarah