These tetelas, which are a traditional Mexican dish, are a labour of love and oh-so-tasty.
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ingredients
Masa
Filling
directions
Whisk together masa harina and salt. Add water and stir together by hand to form a dough. Turn out onto a work surface and knead together for 5 to 8 minutes. Once the dough is properly hydrated, it should not leave a residue on your hand. If it’s too dry, add more water, a tablespoon at a time, if too tacky, add more masa harina, a pinch or two at a time. Wrap in a damp kitchen towel and set aside for 5 minutes to hydrate while you make the filling.
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and cook until they begin to crackle. Add the remaining dry spices until fragrant. Add the jalapeno and ginger, cook for 1 minute.
Add peas and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, reducing the heat to low. Add the potatoes and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently and pressing the potatoes with the back of a spoon to break them down slightly. Season with salt, to taste, remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Portion the masa harina into 12 golf-ball sized pieces, rolling them well so that they press out into even circles. Keep the balls under a damp towel until ready to press. Take a plastic bag, like one you get in the produce aisle of the supermarket and cut two squares from the bag big enough to fit the tortilla, about 6×6-inches. Place one plastic square down on the tortilla press.
Place a masa ball in the middle of the bag, using a little pressure with your hand to flatten it a bit. Lay the second plastic square over the masa. Swing the press lid down and with the pressure lever, press down to flatten. You want the tortilla to be about 1⁄8 thick (like two stacked quarters).
Lift the press lid, carefully remove the top plastic square and add about 2 Tbsp of filling. Carefully fold over the bottom until you reach the halfway point of the round. Fold the opposite sides one at a time, forming a triangular pocket. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
Heat a skillet or plancha over medium heat. Cook the tetelas in batches until deeply golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per side, adjusting the heat if browning too quickly.