Mexico Gorditas
Gordita means “chubby” in Spanish. Gorditas are similar to pupusas from El Salvador or arepas from Colombia, Venezuela, and Panama. Gorditas are smaller but thicker than the traditional tortilla (thus the name), and the outer part is golden but not crunchy. This thick tortilla can become a kind of sandwich; just like pita bread, it is possible to cut a gordita open and stuff it with a variety of foods. Gorditas can be fried or baked and are mainly consumed in the north of Mexico. The city of Puebla holds a festival called El Festival de la Gordita.
Recipe Servings: 9
Ingredients
- 1½ cup (350 ml) corn flour
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
- 1¼ cup (300 ml) water
Directions
- In a medium bowl, combine the corn flour and salt. Add water and knead.
- Divide the dough into 9 balls and cover with a moist kitchen towel.
- Preheat a griddle to medium-high.
- Place one ball on a 6-in (15-cm) square piece of plastic and then cover with another piece of plastic of the same size. If you don’t have a tortilla press, do this on a dish or counter. Press the ball with a glass dish to give shape to the gordita.
- Pick the gordita up and flip it onto the palm of your hand. Cook the gordita for about 2 minutes on the hot griddle. Flip it and cook on the other side for 2 more minutes. To know when it is ready on one side, check for brown spots.
- Repeat the procedure with the remaining balls of dough.
- Let the gordita cool. Then, make an incision around the edge, just like you would with a pita when you stuff it.
- Repeat the procedure with the other gorditas. Then fill them with the stuffing and sauce of your choice.
Notes
Gorditas de horno (oven-made gorditas) are still prepared from scratch in rural areas. They are popular for Día de los Muertos and are also what people send their family living in the cities. In central Mexico, gorditas are small and bulky, and in the north, they are larger and flatter. In eastern and central Mexico, gorditas de nata (cream gorditas) are sweet and are eaten for breakfast or as a snack.
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