Gordas Petroleras

Gordas are fat (gorda) tortillas, made from masa mixed with lard, which is slowly toasted on the comal so the insides get soft and fluffy. (They’re also called gorditas—“little fatties”—but there’s nothing little about these in size or taste!) They’re often filled with chicharrón prensado, pork scraps that have been compressed into a kind of carnitas cake. Recently, near my office in Mexico, I’ve been going to Gorditas y Carnitas Zacazonapan, a place that’s brought back vivid memories with their rich, crispy, salty version. Gordas are often crisped in oil, but I like the ease and toasty flavor of cooking them on a dry comal; it might take you a while to get the feel, but you want to be sure the gordas are not too thick, and that they don’t cook so fast on the outside that the inside is still raw. Eat these with one or three cold beers.