Garnachas Oaxaqueñas

Step 1

Pour 2 cups masa harina and 0.75 teaspoon salt into a large bowl.

Step 2

Pour 1.25 cups warm water into the bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms that holds together but is not sticky.

Step 3

Let the dough rest in the bowl for 5 minutes, covered with a damp towel, so the flour fully absorbs the water.

Step 4

Dice the onion into pieces smaller than a grain of rice — about pencil-tip size — and set aside in a small bowl.

Step 5

Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet or large non-stick pan over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates immediately, about 2 minutes.

Step 6

Add 1 pound ground beef to the hot pan, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon into small crumbles as it cooks, until no pink remains, about 6 minutes.

Step 7

Add the diced onion to the beef and stir once every 30 seconds until the onion turns from white to translucent, about 2 minutes.

Step 8

Remove the beef and onion from the pan to a plate using a slotted spoon, leaving any fat in the pan.

Step 9

Pinch off a golf-ball-sized piece of dough and roll it between your palms into a smooth ball.

Step 10

Gently press the ball into a shallow bowl or cupped hand, flattening it to a round 3 inches wide and 0.5 inches thick with a slight rim around the edge.

Step 11

Carefully slide the flattened disk into the hot fat in the pan (it should sizzle immediately) and fry for 2 minutes until the underside turns golden-brown and crispy.

Step 12

Using a slotted spatula, flip the garnacha and fry the other side for 1.5 minutes until it also turns golden and the edges look dark and crispy.

Step 13

Slide the garnacha onto a paper-towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.

Step 14

Repeat steps 9–13 with the remaining dough until you have 8 garnachas total.

Step 15

While the last garnachas fry, open the can of refried beans and pour the contents into a small saucepan over medium-low heat.

Step 16

Stir the beans once every 30 seconds until they are warm throughout and steam rises from the surface, about 3 minutes.

Step 17

Spoon 1 tablespoon of warm refried beans onto the flat top of each warm garnacha.

Step 18

Top each garnacha with a pinch of the cooked ground beef and onion mixture, about 2 tablespoons total.

Step 19

Layer 2 tablespoons shredded lettuce on top of the beef, covering the surface.

Step 20

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon crumbled cotija cheese or feta over the lettuce on each garnacha.

Step 21

Arrange the finished garnachas on a serving platter and serve immediately while the masa bases are still warm and crispy.