Picaditas (Fried Corn Masa Cakes)
Skies the limit on what you can top these tasty picaditas with! But on today's recipe, I wanted to show you the simplicity of a traditional red and green salsa. Just wait until you find out what the secret ingredient is in both salsa recipes!
Servings 4 Servings
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/3 cups masa harina
You Will Also Need
- Pork manteca
- salsa
- onion finely chopped
- queso fresco crumbled
- more salsa
Instructions
Directions
- In a bowl, add the warm water and salt. Stir to dissolve salt. Gradually add in the masa harina until dough forms. If it feels too sticky, add 1 more tablespoon of masa harina. Divide into 8 equal pieces, roll into a ball. Transfer to a plate, cover and set aside.
- While the masa is resting prepare your salsa's and prep your toppings and garnishes. See salsa recipe below.
- When ready, preheat the comal to medium heat for a few minutes. Using a tortilla press lined with plastic, press the masa balls to resemble a small thick corn tortilla. Cook for 30 seconds per side on preheated comal and transfer to a tortilla warmer as you cook them.
- To finish, take each thick tortilla and pinch all around the center to create nooks and crannies. It should almost resemble an English muffin, lol! A Mexican version!
- Place on preheated comal. Drizzle onto each picadita about 1 tablespoon of melted pork manteca. Cook until the picadita becomes a little crisp, turn as needed. Top each one with red or green salsa, finely chopped onion, queso fresco and more salsa! Buen Provecho!
Notes
Picaditas are flattened in a tortilla press to resemble a thicker corn tortilla. After you cook for 30 seconds per side on a preheated comal, pinch all around the center and then pinch up the sides a little. The nooks and crannies you are creating will help the manteca go through out and make is more flavorful and crispy in some spots.
Fried Salsa
1 pound tomatillos
1/4 onion
1 large clove garlic
3-4 serranos
1 tablespoon knorr bouillon
1/2 cup cooking water
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon pork manteca Tomato Salsa
1 pound roma tomatoes
1/4 onion
1 clove garlic
8 chile de arbol, japones or chile piquin
1 tablespoon knorr bouillon
1/2 cup cooking water
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon of pork manteca Directions In one pot add tomatillos, 1/4 onion, garlic and serranos. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until tomatillos turn color. You don't want them to tear open. Remove from heat. Using a slotted spoon transfer your salsa ingredients to the blender. Add 1/2 cup of the cooking water and bouillon. Cover and blend on high until very smooth. Taste for salt. In a pot, preheat the 1 tablespoon of pork manteca at medium for 1-2 minutes. Carefully pour in the salsa from the blender. Reduce heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes. For the red salsa, you will do the same as the green. The only difference is that I removed the core from tomatoes and peeled the lose skins off after I cooked them.
1/4 onion
1 large clove garlic
3-4 serranos
1 tablespoon knorr bouillon
1/2 cup cooking water
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon pork manteca Tomato Salsa
1 pound roma tomatoes
1/4 onion
1 clove garlic
8 chile de arbol, japones or chile piquin
1 tablespoon knorr bouillon
1/2 cup cooking water
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon of pork manteca Directions In one pot add tomatillos, 1/4 onion, garlic and serranos. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until tomatillos turn color. You don't want them to tear open. Remove from heat. Using a slotted spoon transfer your salsa ingredients to the blender. Add 1/2 cup of the cooking water and bouillon. Cover and blend on high until very smooth. Taste for salt. In a pot, preheat the 1 tablespoon of pork manteca at medium for 1-2 minutes. Carefully pour in the salsa from the blender. Reduce heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes. For the red salsa, you will do the same as the green. The only difference is that I removed the core from tomatoes and peeled the lose skins off after I cooked them.