Homemade Gorditas

These are pretty similar to the Taco Bell gorditas and since I really like those, I decided to try to make them at home. Keep in mind that these take several hours to make. My own notes are in Italics :) Also: they make great leftovers. The recipe makes 8 tacos and we only use 4 in a meal so it's lunch the next day!

INGREDIENTS:

3 + 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 + 1/4 cups boiling water

1 + 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon instant yeast

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Tacos:

1 pound lean ground beef (or turkey)

1 packet taco seasoning or 2 - 3 tablespoons

Your choice of fixin's:

2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese

shredded iceberg lettuce

sliced black olives

diced tomatoes

sour cream

salsa

avocado or guacamole

INSTRUCTIONS:

Make the gorditas:
1. Add 2 cups of the flour to a bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Stir until smooth and cover with saran wrap. Let sit for 30 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl whisk together the remaining 1 and 1/4 cups of flour with the salt and yeast. Add the oil but don't worry about mixing it in.
3. Add this to the flour and knead by hand 2 - 3 minutes on a lightly oiled surface. Alternately you can use a stand mixer or bread machine for 2 - 3 minutes. The dough should be a little sticky - if it's too sticky knead in a little bit of flour.
4. Lightly grease a bowl, add the dough, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place 1 hour.
5. Then divide the dough into 8 pieces about 3 ounces each. Cover them and let rest for 15 to 30 minutes longer.
6. Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle over medium heat. Roll each piece into a 7"- to 8"-circle or pat them out by hand. (Since I don't have a rolling pin, I use a cup sometimes or else I just flatten it out with my hands. Make sure to get them as wide and thin as you can so they make good tacos. They tend to shrink a little when they cook and too thick means they won't fold well).
7. Cook them in the dry skillet 1 - 2 minutes per side or until they are spotted with brown spots. If you find them sticking lightly grease the pan with oil and adjust the heat as needed if they're browning too quickly or not quickly enough. You can keep them warm in a very low oven on a baking sheet. Cover with foil to keep them from drying out.
8. Meanwhile cook the ground beef with the taco seasoning according to the directions on the package.
9. Fill the warm gorditas with taco meat and your choice of fixin's..

http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/homemade-gorditas/