I Thought These wee Puffs From Heaven

You’ll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect when you make homemade gorditas at home: 

1. Stir the masa harina, water, and salt in one bowl and the flour and baking powder in another. 
2. Stir the flour mixture into the masa harina mixture to make a dough. 
3. Divide the dough into six balls, then flatten the balls into discs on a prepared surface. 
4. Cook the gorditas on a griddle until dry to the touch with golden spots.
5. Fry the gorditas, one by one, until they are puffed. 
6. Drain, then cut crosswise to create an opening.

Ingredients

• 1 cup masa harina (instant corn masa flour), such as Maseca
• 1 cup hot water, plus more as needed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon shortening
• 1 cup canola oil for frying

Directions

1. Stir masa harina, water, and salt together in a large bowl until combined.
2. Whisk flour and baking powder together in a small bowl until combined.
3. Gradually stir flour mixture and shortening into masa harina mixture, using clean hands when mixture is cool enough to touch. If dough seems dry, add more hot water, 1 to 3 teaspoons at a time, until dough is somewhat clay-like in texture, evenly moistened, and tacky but not sticky.
4. Evenly divide and roll dough into 6 balls (about 2 ½ inches or 2 ¾ ounces each); keep covered with plastic wrap while working.
5. Line a work surface with waxed paper or plastic wrap; sprinkle lightly with water. Working with one ball at a time, flatten balls on the wet surface into a 5 ½-inch disc (about until about 1⁄8-inch thick). Transfer discs to a waxed paper- or plastic wrap-lined baking sheet; keep covered with plastic wrap while working with remaining dough. 
6. Heat a griddle or comal over medium heat. Working in batches if needed, cook gorditas until dry to the touch with some small, very lightly golden spots, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Place gorditas in a single layer, uncovered, on large plates or a large baking sheet.
7. Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium to medium-high heat until hot enough to bubble immediately when edge of gordita is dipped in. Fry gorditas, one by one, until puffed, gently pressing it down into the oil occasionally with a spatula, about 45 seconds per side. Drain briefly on paper towels, then cut crosswise to create an opening large enough to stuff gorditas full of your favorite foods.