Corn Cakes Stuffed with Chorizo and Potatoes (Mexican Gorditas and Chorizo Con Papas)

This Chorizo and Potato Gorditas recipe brings all the flavour of the authentic Mexican street food, gorditas, filled with a robust and easy to make chorizo con papas (chorizo with potatoes) stew. The little corn cakes made from masa dough have a pocket that is stuffed with delicious filling making this hand held street food a tasty and versatile snack or meal. Taco Bell may have brought the name "gordita" into the American popular language with their famous (or infamous) offering of the same name. But, they severely massacred what this delicious Mexican street food is meant to be. An authentic gordita is a Mexican street food that consists of a small, thick corn tortilla that is split in half and stuffed with flavourful fillings. They are often eaten as a lunch, dinner or snack. And, in some regions you can find them covered with a sauce. It is believed that the natives in Latin America were already making a version of gorditas before the Spanish arrived. But, their filling was different than what is traditional now: probably some combination of beans and squash. The Spanish settlers, who were breeding cattle, brought the idea of filling the gorditas with stewed meats and cheeses. The word gordita means "small fatty" or "chubby" in Spanish. While it's a funny name, when you look at a traditional gordita, it does make sense. They are small, thick tortillas that are stuffed to make them extra chubby.

Gorditas:
3 cup masa harina
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cup warm water (more as needed)

Chorizo Con Papas:
2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into ¼" cubes
½ cup water
14 oz Mexican chorizo
5 oz queso fresco
kosher or sea salt

For the Gorditas:
In a large bowl, mix the masa harina, baking powder, and kosher or sea salt.

Add the oil and mix with your fingers until it is evenly distributed.

Add the water slowly while mixing with your hands, until a soft dough forms.

Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Pinch off about ¼ cup of dough. With wet hands, roll the dough into a ball and flatten it to ¼" thick (about 4" in diameter). (If you want to use your counter to help flatten/roll out your dough, it works best if done over a piece of plastic wrap. That way the flattened dough is much easier to transfer to your skillet.)

Heat a griddle or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Place the flattened dough on the hot surface and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden and cooked through. Remove cooked gordita from the pan to a plate and cover with a tea towel to keep warm and soft.

Continue with the remaining dough. Once the gorditas are cooked and have cooled slightly, carefully slit them through the side with a wet knife, going ½-¾ of the way through.

Keep the gorditas warm in an oven or covered with a towel while you make the filling.

For the Chorizo Con Papas:
Place the diced potatoes in your skillet and add ½ cup water. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.

Add Mexican chorizo (removed from casing). Cook until potatoes are tender and chorizo is cooked through, breaking up the chorizo as it cooks.

Assembly:
Fill gorditas with chorizo con papas. Top with queso fresco.

Serve warm.

Makes 15 (4x¼" thick) gorditas.