Gorditas

I was so happy to be able to eat legumes and grains after Passover that I almost forgot about Cinco de Mayo.  I was going to buy pintos anyway, but I've already done a post on a basic Pinto Bowl.  So, here's a recipe for something to go with it.

These are not what Taco Bell calls a gordita.  It's a masa harina based pita bread.  The difference is that you have to cut the pocket yourself.  No gluten to make the dough bubble in the middle.

Most gordita recipes are basically the same.  You cook a chubby tortilla on a dry pan, then deep-fry it.  For proportions, I'm using Hilah Cooking's version.  It's a cute post with great pictures.

2 C masa harina flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tb vegetable oil
1-1/2-ish cups of warm water
oil for frying

1.  In a bowl, stir together masa flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add 1 Tb oil and 1 cup of water and stir to combine.  The dough probably won't stick together unless it's a very humid day.  Add water 2 Tb at a time until the dough forms a not-crumbling ball but is not sticky.  Let it sit aside while you heat the oil, and that will give it time to hydrate properly.

2.  Heat a pan or fryer at least 6" round with 1" of peanut or corn oil to 375º.  Olive oil's smoke point is too low and it will break down halfway through the project.

3.  Divide dough into 4 pieces.  Pat each into a disc 1/2" thick, about 4 to 5 inches in diameter.  Heat a second pan over medium heat.

4.  Cook gorditas on dry pan for about 2 minutes per side, until lightly browned.  Transfer to fryer and repeat, except the second side only needs about 30 seconds to 1 minute.  You can get an assembly line going and do all of them in about 15 minutes.  Drain the waiting ones over paper towels, or even in a low oven if making a larger batch.

5.  With a sharp knife, cut a deep slit in each gordita to make a pocket.  Fill and serve.

Difficulty rating  :)