These delicious masa cakes are topped with flavorful melted lard, salsas, onions, and cheese. Picaditas are for sure a Mexican snack that make you crave one after other.
1 ½cupqueso fresco or your favorite cheese(crumbled)
⅔cuponions(chopped)
½cupmelted pork lard(or bacon fat)
Instructions
Make the dough
Combine masa harina, water, and salt in a medium bowl until a smooth and non-sticky dough forms.
Divide the dough into 20 portions and roll them into balls.
Cover them with a damp kitchen towel to prevent them from drying.
Make the masa cakes
Heat a skillet or a coat over medium-high heat until smoky hot.
Use a tortilla press or a heavy dish to press a masa ball between the two sheets of plastic until a thick disc forms (read notes).
Carefully, remove the corn cake from the plastic sheets and place it on the hot skillet.
Cook for about 1 minute then flip over and keep cooking for 2 more minutes flipping it one or two more times until brown spots form.
Place on a flat surface and immediately use a paper kitchen towel to pinch the edges and form a small ridge around the cake then pinch in the middle to form some small barriers as well.
Keep making the masa cakes in batches of 3-4, cooking, and forming the border until all masa dough balls are used.
Wrap them in a kitchen towel to keep them warm.
Cook, top and serve
Heat the lard or olive oil in a small pan and set aside.
In a pan or the same skillet you used to cook the cakes, place a batch of picaditas and drizzle a little bit of melted lard.
Add salsa (one type on each picadita), onions, and cheese on top, and finish with another drizzle of lard.
Cook for a couple of minutes just to warm up everything.
Remove the picaditas from the skillet and enjoy.
Notes
When forming the masa cakes, each one should have about 4,75-inch (12 cm) in circumference and be 1/4-inch (0,65cm) thick.