Masa Snacks Veracruz Style Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion; cook and stir until onions begin to turn translucent, 6 to 7 minutes.
• Cook and stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add capers and caper juice; stir to combine.
• Stir in tomatoes, olives, jalapeno pepper, . Cook and stir until jalapeno pepper softens and tomatoes begin to collapse, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in oregano.
• Drizzle 1 teaspoon olive oil into a small baking dish. Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of the tomato-olive mixture. Top with 1 snapper fillet, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Top with more filling and juice from 1 lime. Repeat with remaining snapper fillet, seasoning, and lime juice in a second baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until fish is flaky and no longer translucent, 15 to 20 minutes.

Steps:

• 1. In a small saucepan, cook the potato in salted water to cover until very tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and mash potato with the butter while still hot. Cool until lukewarm. 2. In a mixing bowl, using clean hands, mix the masa harina, salt, and water together to make a soft dough. If too dry, add additional water 1 to 2 teaspoons at a time until the dough is moist and soft, but not sticky. Add the mashed potato and work it into the masa with your hands. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and form into balls. 3. Put 1 ball between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and gently press and pat lightly with your hands to make a 4-inch round cake about 1/3-inch thick. 4. Preheat the oven to 200°. In an 8-inch nonstick skillet, heat about 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Remove the plastic and fry the cake until golden brown and crisp on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Put on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while shaping and frying the remaining cakes. Serve hot. From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Steps:

• 1. In a medium saucepan, boil the potatoes in water to cover until very tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain well, and put in a wide shallow bowl. Coarsely and gently break up the potatoes with a fork. Cool the potatoes to room temperature, and allow the steam to dissipate. 2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix the masa harina with the water. With clean hands, work the dough together until smooth and soft but not sticky. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying. 3. Put the cotija cheese in a food processor bowl, and pulse until finely crumbled. Add the prepared masa dough and salt. Pulse to mix. Add the potato and pulse to combine with the dough. The dough should be soft but not sticky. (Add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if too stiff.) 4. Remove the dough to a flat working surface, and divide the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls. Cover with plastic wrap. To form the molotes, press 1 ball of dough into a 3-inch circle and put 1 stick of the cheese across the center. Wrap the dough around to enclose the cheese. Seal the ends well, with no cheese peeking through, and gently shape the molote to resemble a torpedo. Lay the molote on a baking sheet and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining dough. 5. In a medium skillet, heat 1 inch of vegetable oil until hot. Fry the molotes, 3 or 4 at a time, frequently turning them, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a 200° oven. Serve warm. From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Steps:

• Knead the masa, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/3 cup water in a large bowl with your hands until well incorporated and the masa is soft and pliable but doesn't stick to your hands, about 4 minutes. If the masa is still dry or crumbly, add a tablespoon or two more water and continue to mix.
• Cut and remove the zip top from a gallon freezer bag. Cut the two sides of the bag leaving the bottom intact so that the bag can open and close like a book. If using a tortilla press, trim the cut sides of the bag to fit the flat surface of the tortilla press. (If you don't have a tortilla press, you can use a smooth-bottomed 10-inch skillet to press and flatten the tortillas. Use the plastic in the same way you would use with the press except place it between the countertop or work surface and the bottom of the skillet.)
• Divide the dough into 12 balls about 1/4 cup each (or 54g.). Arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet and keep covered with a damp kitchen towel until ready to use.
• Heat a medium cast-iron skillet or large griddle over medium-high heat.
• Place the prepared plastic bag inside the press so that the folded side of the bag is on the hinged side of the press. Working with one dough ball at a time, open the press and the top side of the bag and place a ball in the center of the press. Fold the bag over the ball and gently press, holding a steady, firm pressure for a few seconds to flatten the ball to a 7-inch round. Open the press and peel the top bag from the dough. Place the dough on your open palm and peel off the remaining plastic.
• Brush the preheated pan with vegetable oil. Working with one at a time (unless using a large griddle), cook the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side, flipping 3 times, until just starting to brown in spots, 90 seconds total. Stack and wrap the tortillas in a clean kitchen towel and keep warm. Repeat pressing and cooking the remaining dough balls.
• Serve the tortillas warm.

Steps:

• 1. Form the masa dough into 18-to-20 equal balls of about 1 ounce each. Using a tortilla press, place a piece of plastic on the open tortilla press, and put 1 masa ball in the center. Lay another piece of plastic on top of the ball. Lower the handle to press into a 3-inch circle. 2. Heat a small dry skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Peel the plastic off the masa patty and pan-bake 15 seconds, turn over and cook another 15 seconds. Remove from the pan and quickly pinch up the edge of the partially baked masa to form a tiny rim of about 1/4 inch all around. Cover with a kitchen towel to keep moist. Repeat with the remaining balls. Reserve the shells while preparing the tomato sauce. 3. In a medium skillet, heat the oil and cook the onion, garlic, and serrano chile. In a blender, blend the roasted tomatoes and cilantro. Add to the skillet, and cook until the mixture thickens and is nearly dry. Season with salt. The topping can be made ahead and stored refrigerated up to 2 days. 4. In the same skillet used for cooking the masa patties, heat enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. When the oil shimmers, fry the reserved picada shells on both sides until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Top each picada with about 1 tablespoon of the tomato sauce. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of cheese on top, and serve at once while still warm. From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the dough. Have ready a tortilla press and 2 (8-inch) squares of plastic wrap or 2 small plastic sandwich bags. Then, make 12 egg-size tortilla balls. Put on a plate cover to keep moist. 2. Open the tortilla press. Lay 1 piece of plastic on the bottom and drape the second piece over the hinged lid. Put 1 ball of dough on the plastic on the bottom of the press and lay the other piece of plastic on top of the dough. Lower the hinged lid and press gently to form a 4-inch tortilla about 1/3-inch thick. Open the lid and pick up the fat tortilla. Peel off the top piece of plastic. Flip over the tortilla and carefully peel off the second piece of plastic. 3. Lay the tortilla on the hot pan. Cook until the edges look dry, about 40 seconds. With a spatula, turn and cook the second side for 1 minute. Turn again and cook for 15 seconds. (If it puffs, that's good, it will be easier to cut open for the filling.) Put the tortillas on a plate, cover to keep moist and repeat making small fat tortillas until all are finished. 4. With a small sharp knife, cut a slit in one side of each tortilla and gently slide the knife blade back and forth to make a pocket for the filling. Stuff the pockets with about 2 tablespoons refried beans, 1 tablespoon cheese, and 2 or 3 strips of jalapeño. Brush the gorditas on both sides with oil and cook on a hot griddle or in a hot skillet, turning 2 to 3 times, until flecked with brown but still soft, about 2 minutes total. Serve at once. From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.