Tlacoyos – bean-filled masa cakes with nopales

Ingredients for 4 portions

• 400 gMasa harina
• ≈ 500 mlWater, warm
• to tasteSalt
• 400 gNopal (cactus paddle), diced
• 3Tomatoes
• 3Chiles de árbol
• 1 cloveGarlic
• ½Yellow onion, for the salsa
• 450 gRefried beans, 1 can
• 150 gQueso fresco, crumbled
• ½Yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 tbspCoriander, chopped

Method

1. Mix the masa harina with the warm water and some salt. Knead for 3 minutes into a soft dough that neither sticks to your hands nor cracks at the edges, and cover with a damp tea towel.
2. Leave the dough to rest for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, boil the nopales in salted water for about 10 minutes, until olive green. Drain and rinse off the slime.
4. Char the tomatoes, árbol chillies and garlic in a hot, dry frying pan, turning them until the tomatoes are blackened in places – the chillies for just a few seconds. Blend with the onion and some salt to make a red salsa.
5. Divide the dough into 12 balls. Flatten one in your palm, put a spoonful of refried beans in the middle, close the dough around it and shape into an oval with pointed ends, about 12 cm long and 1 cm thick.
6. Cook the tlacoyos four at a time on a hot griddle or dry frying pan for about 4 minutes per side, until cooked through and speckled golden.
7. Top with the nopales, red salsa, cheese, onion and coriander. Serve three per person.

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