WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: A twist on the classic Mexican tostada, panuchos are a specialty of the Yucatán. The crispy yet tender panucho shells are essentially corn tortillas that are puffed, filled with creamy refried beans, and then flattened before being cooked in oil until perfectly golden and crisp. The beans keep the thin top layer tender as the bottom crisps. Like tostadas, they are served topped with flavorful combinations of meat, cheese, and vegetables. Although the most traditional topping is shredded chicken and tangy pickled onions, we like to pair them with a wide variety of toppings, from Pork Tinga with Avocado and Queso Fresco to Spicy Zucchini with Scallions and Cotija Cheese. We used widely available masa harina for the dough. Allowing the dough to rest gave it time to hydrate so that the tortillas could be formed with ease. A pie plate worked best to flatten the tortillas, and pressing them between squares of parchment paper kept them from sticking to each other and streamlined the process. We discovered two tricks to getting the tortillas to puff during their initial cooking. First, it was crucial to smooth out and seal the edges of the tortillas after pressing them, since this enabled steam to build inside the tortilla during cooking. Second, we found it necessary to brown both sides first, then flip the tortillas again and press firmly around the centers with a wad of paper towels, which encouraged the tortillas to puff properly. Once they had puffed and slightly cooled, we simply cut a slit in the sides and spooned in the refried beans. We then pressed them to distribute the
beans and shallow-fried the panuchos in the skillet to create a golden exterior with a crisp texture. Be sure to use masa harina or Maseca Brand Instant Masa Corn Flour. Any type of refried beans will work well here.

Makes 12 panuchos; serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups (8 ounces) masa harina
• Salt
• 1¾ cups hot tap water
• 1 teaspoon plus ¼ cup vegetable oil, plus extra as needed
• 1 cup refried beans
• 1 recipe topping, warmed

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix masa harina and 1 teaspoon salt in medium bowl, then fold in water with rubber spatula. Using your hands, knead mixture in bowl until soft dough forms, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover dough with damp dish towel and let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Cut twenty-four 8-inch squares of parchment paper. Knead dough briefly then divide into 12 equal pieces, roll into balls, and place on baking sheet. Cover dough with damp dish towel.
3. Working with 1 ball at a time, press dough flat into 4½-inch-wide disk between 2 pieces parchment using pie plate. Remove top piece parchment and gently smooth out any cracks. Transfer to plate, leaving bottom piece parchment in place, and cover with damp dish towel; tortillas can be stacked.
4. Line baking sheet with paper towels. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just shimmering. Place 1 tortilla parchment side up in your palm, remove parchment, then gently lay tortilla in hot pan; repeat with 2 more tortillas. Cook until lightly golden on both sides, about 6 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking.
5. Flip again and press firmly around center of each tortilla with wad of paper towels until puffed; transfer to prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas, adding 1 teaspoon oil to pan between batches and lowering heat as needed to prevent scorching.
6. Using paring knife, cut 2-inch opening around edge of tortillas. Spoon 1 generous tablespoon beans inside each tortilla then gently press on tortilla to spread out beans. (Panuchos can be stacked between parchment paper, wrapped in plastic wrap, and refrigerated for up to 1 day or frozen for up to 3 months; thaw completely before continuing.)
7. Heat remaining ¼ cup oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches, fry panuchos until golden and crisp on each side, 5 to 7 minutes, flipping tortillas and adding extra oil to pan between batches as needed. Return to baking sheet and season lightly with salt. Spoon topping onto center of each panucho and serve.