Gorditas

Gorditas: Step by Step

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1. Mix the masa harina and salt, then work in the warm water and dough oil.

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2. Knead 4 minutes to a soft dough the texture of modelling clay.

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3. Test it: press the edge of a ball flat. If it cracks, work in more water a tablespoon at a time.

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4. Rest covered 15 minutes.

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5. Divide into 8 and press each into a disc about 10 cm across and 1.5 cm thick.

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6. Heat a dry griddle over a medium-high heat.

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7. Cook each gordita 4 minutes a side, until speckled brown and visibly puffed.

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8. Brush the griddle with oil and cook them 1 minute more a side, until crisp outside.

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9. Split each one round the edge with a knife, leaving a hinge, to make a pocket.

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10. Fill with refried beans, cheese, crema, avocado, cabbage, salsa and coriander.

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Related guide: Prep, cook and total time.

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Things to Watch For

1. Dough that does not crack at the edge. That is the whole test.
2. Dry griddle first, oil at the end.
3. Split them while hot or the pocket seals shut.

About This Recipe

They puff because steam builds inside a sealed thick disc, and that only happens if the masa is the right wetness — it should feel like soft modelling clay and not crack at all when you press the edge. If it cracks, wet your hands and knead more water in. A cracked gordita lets the steam out and stays flat, and then there is nothing to split open.

On the Table Alongside

Salsa verde · Pickled jalapeños · Agua fresca

Sides from the same cuisine on this site: Refried Beans, Cilantro Lime Rice, Corn on the Cob with Chilli Butter.

Keeping Gorditas

Cooked shells keep 2 days. Reheat on a dry griddle and fill fresh.

Common Questions

The Numbers per Serving

Per serving, an approximate calculation from the ingredient list. Treat it as a rough guide: part of the energy comes from foods, or weights per item, with no recorded source. How the figures are worked out.

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