Fava Bean Tlacoyo

By John Scroggins and Guest Contributor | August 14, 2018 5:30 pm

Prep Time

Cook Time

Serves

Executive Chef Saul Montiel from the kitchens of Cantina Rooftop in New York City, is sharing another family-inspired recipe with our audience.

Executive Chef Saul Montiel, Cantina Rooftop Restaurant. Photo: Cantina Rooftop.

Chef previously shared his recipe for Shrimp Aguachile and today, it’s Fava Bean Tlacoyo.

The griddled masa patty, tlacoyo, is one of the most famous street foods of Mexico City. Chef Montiel has created a seasonal riff on the dish by incorporating fava beans into the patty, which he serves with guajillo salsa and queso fresco.

Chef Montiel has worked in some of New York City’s most influential kitchens alongside Chefs like Josh Capon, Jodi Williams and Giorgio DeLuca, founder of Dean and Deluca and owner of Gorgione.

At Cantina Rooftop, Chef has created a contemporary menu that features the famous street foods of Mexico City, inspired by his old-world family recipes.

Chef's Tip: Have a small bowl of extra water available to moisten your hands and the dough while working with it. If the dough feels dry, add more water, a tablespoon at a time.

Masa Tortilla

1-1/2 cups masa harina corn flour for tortillas
1-1/2 cups warm water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 piece plastic to form the tlacoyos

Filling

1/4 cup fava bean purée
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or lard
1 cup guajillo sauce
1/2 cup queso fresco
As desired sour cream
For garnish cilantro leaves

1 First, mix the cornflour with the water and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well to form a smooth dough. Knead it for a few minutes until it feels soft. Divide the dough into 6 pieces and cover with a wet cloth/napkin. Heat a griddle/comal over medium heat.
2 Grab one of the dough pieces and roll between your hands. Place on the sheet of plastic and pat with your hands to form a thick circle.
3 Spoon about 1-1/2 tablespoons of the fava bean paste in the center of the circle. Do not add more fava purée than needed as they might leak if you add too much.
4 Fold the circle to seal the edges, forming a half moon/empañada shape. Then, with your two hands, hold the tlacoyo and gently press the ends to form the pointy tips on each side. Place back on the plastic and pat with your fingers to flatten the tlacoyo.
5 Place the tlacoyo on the already hot griddle and cook each side for about 2-3 minutes, depending on the thickness. You can add the oil or lard at this time or warm the oil/lard in a separate skillet and then slightly fry the tlacoyos afterward. It will take about 1-2 minutes to fry each side. Some people deep fry them, but in this case, we're just giving them a slight pan frying.
6 To serve: guajillo salsa, crumbled queso fresco, sour cream and cilantro for garnish.