Catrachitas
Honduras' bar snack: crisp corn-tortilla rounds topped with hot refried beans and a sprinkle of crumbled cheese. Washed down with a cold Salva Vida.
Overview
Small corn tortillas are shallow-fried until golden and crisp. While still hot, they're spread with warm refried beans and topped with crumbled queso fresco. A drizzle of chimol salsa is the standard finish; mantequilla and a slice of avocado are easy luxuries.
Ingredients
- 12 corn tortillas (small, 10-12 cm diameter)
- 300 ml vegetable oil for shallow frying
- 200 g warm refried beans
- 150 g queso fresco, cotija cheese (or feta, crumbled)
- 100 ml chimol (tomato-onion-cilantro relish) or salsa picante (optional)
- 1 avocado (sliced, optional)
- Salt
Method
Stage 1 - Fry the tortillas
- Heat 5 mm of oil in a wide frying pan to 180°C.
- Fry 3-4 tortillas at a time, 30 seconds per side, until crisp and pale gold.
- Drain on kitchen paper; sprinkle with salt.
Stage 2 - Top
- Spread 1 tablespoon of warm refried beans across each fried tortilla.
- Crumble over 1 tablespoon of cheese.
Stage 3 - Finish
- Spoon over a teaspoon of chimol or salsa if using.
- Top with a thin slice of avocado for the fuller version.
Stage 4 - Serve
- Eat warm, picked up by the edge. They go soggy if they sit - assemble close to serving.
Notes
- Tortilla thickness: Standard corn tortillas (not the thick, fresh kind). They need to crisp through.
- Hot beans, hot tortilla: Warm beans on hot tortillas; cold beans turn the crisp shell pale and sad fast.
- Heat option: Add a single thin slice of jalapeño or a few drops of hot sauce per tostada for those who want it.
Storage
- Cooked tortillas (no toppings) keep in a sealed container 3 days; re-crisp in a hot oven.
- Assembled catrachitas: eat immediately.
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