Mexican cuisine · Dough, Pasta & Rice

Gorditas

Thick masa pockets from the comal, split open and filled with bean purée, cheese and crema.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 400g masa harina
• 500ml warm water
• 1 tsp salt
• 300g mashed beans
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 200g queso fresco (or mild feta)
• 1 white onion
• 1 romaine lettuce
• 150g crema (or sour cream)
• 4 tbsp salsa
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Mix the masa harina with the salt, gradually knead in the warm water, and let the dough rest covered for 10 min. — it should feel like soft modeling clay and not crumble at the edges.
2. Shape the dough into 8 equal balls and flatten each between your palms into a palm-sized patty about 1cm thick.
3. Heat a heavy pan hard with no fat and cook the gorditas for 4–5 min. per side, until they show light brown spots and puff up slightly in the middle.
4. Warm the mashed beans with the cumin in 2 tbsp vegetable oil for 5 min., until thick and spreadable; finely dice the onion and cut the romaine lettuce into thin strips.
5. While still warm, cut three-quarters of the way around the edge of the gorditas with a sharp knife to open a pocket — careful, hot steam will escape.
6. Fill the pockets with the bean purée, top with crumbled queso fresco, onion, lettuce, crema and salsa, and serve immediately.