Description
Gorditas are traditional Mexican stuffed corn cakes made with Maseca masa harina. This recipe guides you through making soft, thick tortillas cooked on a griddle, then cut open and filled with your favorite savory fillings like picadillo, chicharron, cheese, or refried beans. Perfect for a comforting and authentic Mexican meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Gordita Dough
- 3 cups Maseca masa harina
- 2 ¼ cups water (plus more if needed)
- Salt, a good pinch
Instructions
- Mix Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the Maseca masa harina with a good pinch of salt.
- Add Water: Slowly add 2 ¼ cups water to the masa harina and salt mixture, integrating everything with your hands.
- Knead Dough: Knead the dough until it has a manageable texture that doesn’t stick to your hands and resembles play dough.
- Divide Dough: Divide the masa into 12 equal portions and cover them with a damp kitchen towel to keep moist.
- Heat Griddle: Preheat a comal or a heavy skillet over medium heat until hot.
- Prepare Dough Balls: Moisten your hands with water, then roll one portion of dough into a ball.
- Flatten Dough: Place the dough ball between two plastic sheets and flatten it into a thick tortilla about 4.5 inches (11.5 cm) in circumference using a heavy dish or tortilla press.
- Peel Plastic: Peel one side of the plastic sheet from the flattened dough, hold the gordita in your hand, then peel off the other sheet carefully.
- Cook First Side: Place the gordita on the hot griddle and cook for about 1½ minutes.
- Cook Second Side: Flip the gordita and cook an additional 1-2 minutes or until dark spots appear.
- Repeat Cooking: Continue cooking as many gorditas as fit comfortably on the griddle.
- Create Pockets: Immediately after removing the gorditas from the griddle, cut a slit along the side of each to form a pocket for stuffing.
- Keep Warm: Place the cooked gorditas between a kitchen towel to keep warm until all are cooked.
- Stuff Gorditas: Fill each gordita pocket with your favorite fillings such as picadillo, chicharron, cheese, or refried beans.
- Warm Stuffed Gorditas (Optional): Return stuffed gorditas to the hot griddle to warm through, or serve immediately.
Notes
- If the dough feels too dry, add water one tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right texture.
- Keeping the dough covered with a damp towel prevents it from drying out.
- You can use a tortilla press or a heavy dish to flatten the dough evenly.
- Be careful not to overcook the gorditas to keep them soft and pliable for stuffing.
- Fillings can be customized; try beans, meat, cheese, or vegetables depending on preference.
- Use plastic sheets or parchment paper to prevent the dough from sticking to surfaces when flattening.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: Gorditas, Maseca, masa harina, Mexican stuffed tortillas, homemade gorditas, mexican street food, corn cakes, savory Mexican recipes
