A classic Mexican food recipe perfect for topping and filling with any of your favorite Mexican dishes. Also great for using up leftovers. They can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or can also be frozen.
2Tablespoonsvegetable oiloptional, I use olive oil
2cupslukewarm wateryou may need more or a little less
fillings and toppings as desiredsee notes
Instructions
In a large bowl combine the masa harina, salt and baking powder until well combined. Next drizzle in the oil then gradually add the water as you start to mix the dough. Little by little keep adding water until you have a dough that perfectly hydrated, comes together and doesn’t fall apart or stick to your hands and fingers.
Shape small masa balls about the size of a golf ball, do so until all of the dough has been used up. (I ended up with 15 balls). As you shape the balls put them back in the bowl, then cover it with a clean kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes
Heat a comal (or large frying pan) then start shaping the gorditas and the sopes. One by one flatten the ball between your palms until you have a disk about ¼ inch thick then carefully place it on the hot comal. Allow to cook for 4 minutes on one side before flipping over. As one is cooking you can continue to shape more enough to fit on your comal or frying pan. Once flipped and cooked on both sides put the in a bowl or small basket and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Set aside and continue until all of the balls have been shaped and cooked.
To shape the sopes place one on a cutting board then going around start pinching up the edge all the way around (watch the video for visual guide). For gorditas just slices like you would to on a pita bread to form a pocket. From here your gorditas and sopes are ready to eat, or you can take it a step further and fry them both in hot oil until they’re a little crispy. Drain excess oil on paper towels then stuff or top as desired.
Video
Notes
If frying you can leave them a little less coked, if not they both have to cook longer or the 4 minutes on each side.Fillings you can use refried beans, soyrizo with nopales, sauted nopales, tinga, or any of your favorite dishes.To make them like breakfast you can use tofu scramble or scrambled eggs. Use whatever you’d like.If you’d like you may top the sopes with lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, salsa, jalapenos, avocado….(I used Maseca brand for the masa harina, and the one for corn tortillas not tamales.)