Pellizcadas Jarochas

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Cast iron comal or heavy griddle
• •Tortilla press lined with plastic
• •Bean masher or wooden spoon
• •Blender or volcanic stone molcajete
• •Wide skillet for frying in manteca

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the masa

   If using fresh masa, knead in the salt and a tablespoon or two of warm water only if it feels dry. If using masa harina, mix it with the warm water and salt, then knead for two minutes. Cover and rest for 15 minutes. The masa should feel like soft clay from a riverbank, moist but not sticky. Press a little ball between your palms. If the edge cracks, add water by the teaspoon. Si se rompe, le falta agua.

2. 2

   Cook the beans

   Melt 1 tablespoon of lard in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the black beans, their broth, epazote, and salt. Mash with a bean masher or the back of a spoon until thick and spreadable. Cook until the beans hold a line when you drag the spoon through them. Veracruz beans should taste of black bean and epazote, not a jar of cumin.

3. 3

   Roast the salsa

   Heat a dry comal over medium-high. Roast the Roma tomatoes, serranos, and unpeeled garlic, turning until the tomatoes are blistered and soft, the serranos are spotted dark, and the garlic has softened inside its skin. Peel the garlic. Blend the tomatoes, serranos, garlic, and onion with a pinch of salt until mostly smooth. Do not drown it with water. The tomatoes have enough juice when they are ripe.

4. 4

   Fry the salsa

   Melt 1 tablespoon of lard in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour in the blended salsa. It will jump a little, so use a deep enough pan. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until the color deepens and the raw tomato edge disappears. Taste for salt. This is a jarocho table salsa, bright and direct, not a chile contest.

5. 5

   Press the rounds

   Divide the masa into 12 balls, each about the size of a small lime. Keep them covered with a damp towel. Press each ball between plastic in a tortilla press to a thick round, about 4 inches wide and a little thicker than a tortilla. Do not press them paper thin. A pellizcada needs body so it can hold the beans and salsa without collapsing.

6. 6

   Cook on comal

   Cook the masa rounds on a hot dry comal for about 45 seconds on the first side, 45 seconds on the second side, then flip once more for 20 seconds. They should show brown freckles and feel cooked on the surface but still be tender. Work in batches and stack them under a towel. The towel keeps them flexible for pinching. Let them go cold and you will fight the masa.

7. 7

   Pinch the edges

   While each round is still hot enough to shape, pinch the edge between thumb and forefinger all the way around to make a raised rim. Then pinch the center lightly in two or three places so the toppings catch instead of sliding off. Use a folded towel if your fingers are tender. The women who sell these at the market move fast because hot masa obeys. Cold masa argues.

   If the rim cracks badly, your masa is too dry. Knead a few teaspoons of warm water into the remaining dough before pressing the next batch.
8. 8

   Fry in lard

   Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons lard on the comal or in a wide skillet over medium heat. Set the pinched masa cakes in the fat and cook 1 to 2 minutes per side, just until the bottoms turn lightly crisp and glossy at the edges. This is not deep-frying. You are giving the masa flavor and enough firmness to carry the beans. La manteca es el sabor.

9. 9

   Build and serve

   Spread each pellizcada with a spoonful of refried black beans, then add salsa roja, crumbled queso fresco, chopped white onion, and cilantro if your table uses it. Serve immediately with lime halves on the side. The rim should hold the salsa. If everything runs off, you did not pinch high enough. The pinch is the recipe. Así se hace y punto.

Chef Tips

• •Fresh masa from a tortilleria is best. Ask for masa para tortillas, not prepared tamal masa with lard already beaten into it. If you use masa harina, Maseca works, but fresh masa has better aroma and a softer bite.
• •Black beans are the Veracruz choice here. Pinto beans will feed you, yes, but they move the dish north. A substitution is a compromise, not an upgrade.
• •Use chile serrano for the salsa roja. Jalapeno is acceptable if the market has nothing else, but serrano gives a cleaner, sharper heat against the sweet roasted tomato.
• •Do not use cheddar, sour cream, or lettuce. Those things belong to another table. Queso fresco, black beans, salsa, onion. That is enough.
• •If your tomatoes are pale and hard, make salsa verde instead with tomatillos and serrano. Mexican grandmothers cook what the market is selling today.

Advance Preparation

• •The black beans can be cooked and refried up to three days ahead. Reheat with a splash of bean broth until spreadable.
• •The salsa roja can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat briefly before serving so it loosens and tastes alive again.
• •Press, cook, and pinch the masa the same day you serve it. Pellizcadas lose their tenderness after refrigeration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 260g)