Gorditas with Picadillo

Good evening bloggers! Welcome to a new edition of Everyday Meals! I'm your host, Mandie. Tonight, we are continuing with our Cinco de Mayo celebration. We are going to try some street food that's sure to be a big hit with your party guests!

On the menu tonight, we have Gorditas with Picadillo.
A gordita is a small cake (but not the typical sweet kind), filled with all types of delicious goodness, like cheese, meat, and other stuff. The gordita is prepared like a thick tortilla, and then fried. Picadillo is like a hash. It's made with ground beef, tomatoes, etc. The ingredients vary by region.

So, I'm going to spare you anymore of my awesome ramblings so we can get into the kitchen and make some comida (that means "food", in Spanish).

Gorditas with Picadillo

You will need:

• 1.75 cups masa harina (corn flour)
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 Tbs. shortening, softened to room temperature
• 1.5 cups water
• Oil for frying

For the Picadillo, you will need:

• 1 Tbs. oil
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 of an onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 jalapenos, diced with stems and seeds removed
• 1 Tbs. chili powder
• 1 Tbs. dry oregano
• 1 Tbs. cumin
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 5 plum tomatoes, diced
• 2 medium red potatoes, peeled and diced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 Tbs. lime juice

Ready?

1. In a large skillet heated with the oil over medium heat, cook the ground beef and onion until the beef has browned and the onion has turned translucent.
2. Add the garlic, jalapenos, chili powder, oregano, cumin, cayenne, cilantro, tomatoes, potato, and a large pinch of salt and pepper to the skillet with the beef. 
3. Stir until everything is well-combined. 
4. Add water, turn down the heat and cover, and cook for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes have become tender. 
5. Taste for seasoning and add the lime juice, then set the skillet aside.
6. While the picadillo is cooking, mix the masa harina, flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. 
7. Add the shortening and water, and stir until a smooth dough has formed.
8. Divide the gordita dough into 8 equal portioned balls. 
9. Press each ball until it has formed a disk that is approximately 4 inches across.
10. Heat a skillet with enough oil to coat the bottom of the skillet over medium heat. 
11. Once the oil is hot, fry the gorditas in batches, browning each side until it is golden brown (approximately 2-3 minutes per side). 
12. Drain the gorditas on a paper towel-lined plate until ready to serve.
13. Once the gorditas have cooled to the point where you can handle them, using a sharp knife, split the gordita in half. 
14. Stuff the gorditas with the picadillo and your desired toppings.

I want to end on a great note by letting you all know that starting sometime soon, there will be a guest blogger joining us. She's one of my good friends, and such a doll! I'll catch you all tomorrow. Enjoy your gorditas, and good night!