Tlacoyos

Make a soft masa dough with the masa harina, salt and warm water. Knead 2 minutes, cover and rest 10 minutes.

Divide into 8 balls. Flatten one into an oval about 12 cm long, lay a line of refried beans down the centre, then fold the masa over the beans and seal the edges, working it back into a smooth oval.

💡 Seal every crack. A gap on the edge lets beans leak onto the griddle and burn, and the tlacoyo will tear when you turn it. Wet a fingertip and smooth any splits closed.

Cook the tlacoyos on a dry medium-hot griddle for 3–4 minutes a side, until dark toasted spots appear and the masa is cooked through with no doughy centre.

Meanwhile, cook the nopales: sauté the diced cactus with half the onion and a pinch of salt for 8–10 minutes, until they lose their slick, bright-green rawness and turn olive.

💡 Cooking nopales past that point drives off the sticky liquid they release. If you rinse them after, they lose it even faster — but a quick sauté is enough for a topping.

Top each hot tlacoyo with the nopales, a spoon of salsa, the raw diced onion, cilantro and — if using — crumbled cheese. Eat straight away, in the hand.