Note: Novelist and frequent Food section contributor Michelle Huneven got totally hooked on gorditas in Guanajuato, Mexico. and introduced her obsession home together with her, single-mindedly perfecting the skill of making the small fatties and tossing gordita parties. Whenever we sampled her gorditas last The month of january, we understood why.
Gorditas are just like very thick tortillas, only chewier. They are split and full of beans and cheese and other things is on hands--meat, fish, chicken, vegetables, salad--so that they adjust to nearly every taste preference. To quote Huneven: Round, golden, hands-sized and charmingly named, gorditas are merely, inarguably adorable. And scrumptious.
Gorditas can contain almost anything. Listed here are a couple of tips to prepare or purchase: black beans grilled snapper or shark grilled shrimp rotisserie chicken poultry leftover steak, roast or chops, diced and warmed chicharrones (pork skin) sesos (brains) scrambled eggs guacamole cotija cheese (crumbly white-colored fresh Mexican cheese) Monterey jack cheese sour cream or Mexican crema sauteed or stewed mushrooms, summer time squash, squash blossoms shredded lettuce or cabbage.
4 pounds fresh masa, preferably masa refregada, masa molida, masa no preparada
1/2 to at least one teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
one to two tablespoons lard or corn oil
1/2 pound cotija cheese, crumbled
Mix masa, salt and baking powder along with hands. Add sufficient water and lard to create dough pliable. Continue kneading until dough starts to feel smooth.
Accomplish enough masa to create 1 smooth 2-inch ball. Pat lightly backwards and forwards with you to create 4- to five-inch cake about 1/2-inch thick. Prepare on hot griddle, 2 minutes on every side. Put aside.
Heat enough oil for frying to 375 levels. Fry gorditas, one or two at any given time, until they float, about 45 seconds. Remove and drain in writing towels. Split open each gordita with steak knife. (Opening ought to be wide enough for simple stuffing but shouldn't split gordita.) Stuff with fillings of preference and serve with cotija cheese.
28 gordita shells. Each gordita, without filling:245 calories 105.7 mg sodium .5 mg cholesterol 3.43 grams fat 4.86 grams carbohydrates 6 grams protein .96 grams fiber.