These Gorditas de Rajas con Queso or Roasted Pepper Gorditas with Cheese are slightly thicker than a tortilla and are made Duranguense style. Filled with roasted poblano peppers, sliced onion, tomato, garlic and cheese.
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Durango style gorditas are thinner than a normal gordita made in the southern states of Mexico, and just slightly thicker than a tortilla.
They are known for being filled with different stews or “guisados” or “guisos” like Carne Deshebrada or Pork with Calabacitas. Other type of gorditas are filled with different choices of meats and stuffed with lettuce like a sandwich.
Ingredients for Gorditas
Masa harina
Salt
Warm water
Chile poblanos
Roma tomatoes
Medium onion
Garlic cloves
Oil
Mozzarella, chihuahua, munster, or manchego cheese
Equipment Needed
Griddle or Non-stick pan
Cooking pan or pot
Bowl
Knife
Cutting board
Plastic bag
Tortilla press or flat bottom plate
Stove
Step by step how to make instructions
For the Gordita Dough
start by adding 4 cups of masa harina and salt to a large mixing bowl and mix.
Using a large spoon or your hands, add 3 cups of warm water to the mix making sure to mix all the way to the bottom.
Add the 4th cup of water slowly. You might use all 4 cups or just slightly less depending on the dryness of your home. You are looking for the dough to be wet, but comes off the bowl clean. Not so tacky it sticks to your fingers. You will most likely use about 3 ¾ cup to all 4 cups of water.
Cover the dough with a towel and set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 hour.
Filling:
Start by roasting your poblano peppers over a flame on your stove, or on the broil setting in your oven, or on a comal lined with tin foil for easy clean up.
Once they are blackened all around, place them in a plastic bag or container and seal or tie so that they steam and soften to peel more easily.
Once they have softened, about 30 minutes, take the peppers and with a damp cloth, paper towel, or your hands/fingers slide/remove the blackened skin of the pepper. Discard the removed blackened skins.
Next on a cutting board, slice your peppers open so that you are able to remove the seeds and stem top.
After, cut them into strips and set aside.
Chop the onion and tomato in strips as well and set aside.
Mince the garlic and set aside.
To a pan with high sides over medium to medium-low heat, add 4 tablespoons of oil and the sliced onion strips.
Cook the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Next, to the pan with the onions add the sliced peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and salt and cook for about 10 minutes.
Turn off the heat and set the pan aside.
Making the gordita:
Now that the dough has rested, preheat a non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat.
Next, we will need to form discs that will be stuffed once cooked.
Take a large chunk of dough about the size of your palm or about 4 oz and roll it into a ball.
Using a tortilla press or a plate with a flat bottom and 2 plastic pieces of a ziplock bag (see notes) press down on the dough ball until you have a disc about ⅛ inches thick and 5 inches wide (approximately).
Once the griddle is hot, carefully peel back the plastic from the flattened disc place it on the griddle.
Cook for about 1 minute and flip.
Cook the 2nd side for about 2 minutes, then flip again.
Cook the 3rd flip for about 30-60 seconds, you should see it puffing up. If it is not puffing, use a kitchen towel to press on the gordita. This should help loosen the center and help it rise.
Remove from the griddle and with a butter knife or plastic disposable knife cut a slit along the edge of the gordita and slowly open a pocket about ⅓ of the way around.
Place on a kitchen towel or plate and repeat with the rest of the dough.
To stuff the gordita take a spoon full of your filling and place it inside of the pocket.
Next, take a few cheese slices or pieces and stuff those in the pocket too.
Place the stuffed gordita back on the griddle to melt the cheese and heat the filling. About 2-3 minutes per side.
Remove from the griddle and repeat with the rest of the gorditas, filling and cheese.
Serve with your favorite salsa and enjoy!
Other Fillings for Gorditas
Gorditas de Rajas con Queso Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: Approx 16 gorditas 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
These Gorditas de Rajas con Queso or Roasted Pepper Gorditas with Cheese are slightly thicker than a tortilla and are made Duranguense or Durango style. Filled with roasted poblano peppers, sliced onion, tomato, garlic and cheese.
Ingredients
For the Masa Dough
- 4 cups masa harina
- 1 ½ tablespoon kosher salt
- 4 cups of warm water
For the pepper filling:
- 8 chile poblanos
- 4 roma tomatoes
- 2 medium onion
- 2–3 garlic cloves
- 4 tablespoons oil
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt
- 8 oz brick mozzarella, chihuahua, munster, or manchego cheese
Instructions
For the Dough
start by adding 4 cups of masa harina and salt to a large mixing bowl and mix.
Using a large spoon or your hands, add 3 cups of warm water to the mix making sure to mix all the way to the bottom.
Add the 4th cup of water slowly. You might use all 4 cups or just slightly less depending on the dryness of your home. You are looking for the dough to be wet, but comes off the bowl clean. Not so tacky it sticks to your fingers. You will most likely use about 3 ¾ cup to all 4 cups of water.
Cover the dough with a towel and set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 hour.
Filling:
Start by roasting your poblano peppers over a flame on your stove, or on the broil setting in your oven, or on a comal lined with tin foil for easy clean up.
Once they are blackened all around, place them in a plastic bag or container and seal or tie so that they steam and soften to peel more easily.
Once they have softened, about 30 minutes, take the peppers and with a damp cloth, paper towel, or your hands/fingers slide/remove the blackened skin of the pepper. Discard the removed blackened skins.
Next on a cutting board, slice your peppers open so that you are able to remove the seeds and stem top.
After, cut them into strips and set aside.
Chop the onion and tomato in strips as well and set aside.
Mince the garlic and set aside.
To a pan with high sides over medium to medium-low heat, add 4 tablespoons of oil and the sliced onion strips.
Cook the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Next, to the pan with the onions add the sliced peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and salt and cook for about 10 minutes.
Turn off the heat and set the pan aside.
Making the gordita:
Now that the dough has rested, preheat a non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat.
Next, we will need to form discs that will be stuffed once cooked.
Take a large chunk of dough about the size of your palm or about 4 oz and roll it into a ball.
Using a tortilla press or a plate with a flat bottom and 2 plastic pieces of a ziplock bag (see notes) press down on the dough ball until you have a disc about ⅛ inches thick and 5 inches wide (approximately).
Once the griddle is hot, carefully peel back the plastic from the flattened disc place it on the griddle.
Cook for about 1 minute and flip.
Cook the 2nd side for about 2 minutes, then flip again.
Cook the 3rd flip for about 30-60 seconds, you should see it puffing up. If it is not puffing, use a kitchen towel to press on the gordita. This should help loosen the center and help it rise.
Remove from the griddle and with a butter knife or plastic disposable knife cut a slit along the edge of the gordita and slowly open a pocket about ⅓ of the way around.
Place on a kitchen towel or plate and repeat with the rest of the dough.
To stuff the gordita take a spoon full of your filling and place it inside of the pocket.
Next, take a few cheese slices or pieces and stuff those in the pocket too.
Place the stuffed gordita back on the griddle to melt the cheese and heat the filling. About 2-3 minutes per side.
Remove from the griddle and repeat with the rest of the gorditas, filling and cheese.
Serve with your favorite salsa and enjoy!
Keywords: gorditas durango, gorditas duranguense, gorditas de rajas con queso, stuffed gorditas
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