We were having margaritas before dinner one evening in a wonderful restaurant in Mexico City and thought we should have something to nibble with them. The young waiter read our minds—he knew just what we wanted even though we had never heard of it and brought us a plate of fresh, hot tortitas. The rest of the dinner has long faded from memory, but ah! those tortitas.
They were little pastries, made of masa, just like corn tortillas, but fatter—and with edges. I never did find out the name of the cheese but have recaptured its slightly goaty flavor by combining simple dry white farmer cheese with some feta.
Makes 14 to 15 tortitas.
• 2 cups dry masa harina*
• 1 cup water
• salt
• vegetable oil (about 2 Tbs.)
• ¼ to ⅓ cup medium-hot green chili sauce
• 4 oz. farmer cheese, crumbled
• 2 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1. Combine the masa harina and the water in a bowl, add a little salt, and work it into a dough. Divide the dough into 14 or 15 even bits the size of large walnuts. Shape each one into an even, flat round, about 3 or 4 inches across, and turn up the edges to make a ¼-inch rim. Brush the insides of these shells lightly with vegetable oil.
2. Bake the tortita shells for 20 to 25 minutes in a preheated oven at 450 degrees. They should be slightly darker and almost crisp around the edges.
3. When they are cool enough to handle, spread each one evenly with a scant teaspoon of the green chili sauce. Combine the two cheeses in a bowl and crumble them together until they are thoroughly integrated. Divide the cheese evenly among the tortitas, sprinkling it over the chili sauce.
4. Serve the tortitas with any tequila drink or with beers as an hors d’oeuvre.
5. Masa harina is corn treated with lime water and ground to a very fine meal. The Quaker Oats Company sells a good, dry masa harina.
