Gorditas and Sopes a Mexican treat

Sopes and Gorditas, no I'm not talking about Taco Bell Gorditas. These small, round and thick disks are made from masa( a whitish dough made from ground corn, water and lime), and then cooked on a comal (griddle or skillet). The word gorditas is also used as a term of endearment for a curvy girls :) and sopes as far as I know just means these little goodies.

They are both made with the same simple ingredients of flour,water,fat and baking powder. The only differnce between them is that a gordita is sliced, like a pita, to make a pocket and stuff. The sope is taking the dough shaping it to a thick circle and has the edges pinched to make a rim like a pizza or a pie, with the ingredients put on top. Now that I think about it these same ingredients are used to make Tamales and corn tortillas (minus the baking powder).

If you are lucky enough to have access to fresh masa take advantage of it, or maybe your local grocery store carries Mexican products and you can buy the corn flour called Maseca. I don't have access to either so I've learned to substitute yellow cornmeal, with pretty good results. This superfine flour is from my local health food store and comes in 1 kilo bags ( 2.2 lbs) .

ingredients & utensils:

1 1/2 cups of super fine yellow conrmeal

1 cup white flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup lukewarm water

rolling pin

griddle /skillet

2 small plastic sandwich bag

1. Under medium heat start heating the griddle/skillet. In a bowl you want to combine the flours (please note if using Maseca you don't need the white flour). Then add your other dry ingredients, mix until well combined.

2. Add your oil and about half of your water. Use your hands to combine and knead all the ingredients, adding the remaining water slowly until you have a moist dough that will feel a bit spongy.

3. Once your dough feels soft you'll need to start shaping it into small 1 inc/ 2.5 cm balls. This recipe yields 6 to 7 Sopes or Gorditas.

4. Take one of the plastic bag and place it on your counter or cutting board, then place one ball in center,place your other plastic bag on top the ball and with the palm of your hand push down. Using the rolling pin make thick patties that are about 3 inches/ 7.6 cm wide and about 1/4 inch or .6 cm thick.

5. Peel the top plastic bag and lift the pattie onto your palm peel the other plastic and place on the hot griddle/skillet.

6. Both sopes and gorditas will need to cook on each side for about 4 minutes.

Then let them cool off just enough so you don't burn your fingers, to give them their final shapes.

For the sope pinch into the sides making a rim all around,see photo, and for the gorditas take a sharp knife and slice along the side to make a pocket.

Next I'll have a recipe for a gorditas dinner, don't miss it.