Another Project Pastry Queen assignment! This week, Amanda picked Ground Beef Gorditas or “Little Fat Ones.”

I love cooking with these other bloggers because it keeps me from cooking the same things in my kitchen. I rarely cook beef and I never fry anything so this tested me in a few ways. Plus, I was cooking this for friends. Talk about pressure!

Since I never fry anything, it makes me very nervous. I burn myself enough without hot, sputtering grease flying around. Geez!

You’re supposed to split open the gorditas and fill them with the toppings. Mine didn’t puff up as much as I think they were supposed to so we just put them on the plate and loaded them up with the toppings.

If you don’t want to go the trouble of making the gorditas, you can put it on a tortilla. The filling is the best homemade taco filling I’ve ever tasted and it was so quick. I doubt I’ll ever buy the packaged kind again.

Next week, we’re cooking Southern Comfort Apple Pie.

INGREDIENTS

For the dough:
4 cups corn masa mix, or 12 ounces fresh masa dough
1 teaspoon salt, if necessary
1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Safflower oil, for frying (I used vegetable oil)

For the beef filling:
1 lb lean ground beef
1 Tbls finely chopped yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbls Tabassco or hot pepper sauce
1 8 oz can plain tomato sauce

For serving:
½ head iceberg lettuce, shredded
½ C chopped tomatoes
1 C queso fresco, crumbled
sliced black olives
½ C sour cream
salsa

DIRECTIONS

For the Dough:

1. If using masa mix, mix in large bowl according to the directions. Beat the masa, butter and salt in an electric mixer with the paddle attachment until it forms a ball. If using fresh dough, add the butter and mix until a ball is formed.
2. Separate the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll until roughly 4″ across and 1/2″ thick.
3. Grease a large skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Cook the gorditas until lightly browned on each side, about 5 to 10 minutes on each side.
4. Fill a large skillet with enough oil to come about 1/2 inch up the sides. Heat on medium heat until hot enough that the oil bubbles when a small ball of dough is dropped in.
5. Using a spatula, lower the gorditas into the hot oil.
6. Fry the gorditas for about 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crisp.
7. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

For the Beef Filling:

1. Saute the beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the meat is brown, 8-10 min.
2. Drain off the fat.
3. Add the garlic, salt, cumin, pepper, hot pepper sauce, and tomato sauce. Cook for 5 minutes.

Assembly:

1. Split gorditas in half and set them on individual plates.
2. Spoon the beef mixture over the bottom halves. Sprinkle with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and anything else your heart desires.
3. Lean the top half of the gordita at an angle on top of the beef mixture and serve.

NOTES
Serves 4 (2 gorditas each)

from The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather