Gorditas are at the top of my comfort food list. Delicious and hearty, we usually make them on the weekend when we have time to griddle bake them. This isn’t a quick recipe friends, but it is a good one. Gorditas are a Tex-Mex classic.
Gorditas are Classic Tex-Mex
In the past before tortilla presses became the standard in Mexican kitchens, all tortillas were patted out by hand. Many people can still perform this skill, but I am not one of them. I cannot make thin corn tortillas by patting them out, but I can make thick delicious gorditas, and so I make them when I can. I made a video to show you my technique. Easy to make, but you do have to practice.
Removing the creamy middle portion of the gorditas is similar to removing the bready center of a submarine roll before you make a hoagie – some people just want the crispy chewy crust, and not fill up with the bready center. You can elect to remove the middle, or simply split the gordita and leave the middle in place. I grew up knowing that the center part of the gordita is called “el migajón” which means the “big crumb.” We usually give these “big crumbs” to the chickens. You can also chop it up and stir it into an enchilada sauce as a thickener. The “migajon” is edible, just bready.
Making Gorditas takes practice
Making gorditas is a great way to dress up leftover meats or odds bits of vegetables. I love to stuff gorditas with scrambled eggs, chorizo, and sautéed onions. And of course, the best recipe is Pollo Adobado, which is deeply flavorful without being too spicy.
Practice your gordita making skills, and you will be well rewarded with incredible fresh tortilla flavor and much praise from the people at your table!
Gorditas
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 gorditas 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
2 cups instant corn tortilla mix (250g)
¾ cup lard or shortening (204g)
½ tsp salt (2g)
¾ cup warm tap water (180ml)
Instructions
Heat a griddle (preferably cast iron) on the stove over a medium heat (350°F/ 176°C) then lower to a medium flame. Place the tortilla mix, lard and salt in a large mixing bowl and begin to knead with your hands. Add the warm water a little at a time until the dough is soft and pliable, and the ingredients are well mixed. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions, then pat each portion with your hands into a round cake about 3/8” thick.
Lay as many gorditas as possible on the heated griddle (most griddles will hold only 4 at a time.) Cook on the griddle for 5-7 minutes, then flip over with a spatula and continue to cook for another 5-7 minutes until they are golden brown and well toasted.
Once the gorditas are cooked, split them open from the side, and scoop out the creamy, uncooked middle. You will be left with a crispy round shell for filling with your favorite stew or roasted meat!
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