An Estrujada Veracruzana is a thick corn tortilla cooked in a comal or skillet until lightly browned. Once cooked, it is “estrujada” or partially crushed. Then, it is bathed in salsa and finished with your favorite ingredients.
About this recipe
The “estrujadas veracruzanas” are a typical dish of the Huasteca Veracruzana, especially in the municipality of Tuxpan. It is a large, thick corn tortilla, about 7 inches in diameter, which is cooked on a comal like a regular tortilla.
Once cooked, oil is added, squeezed with the hands to make small pieces, and bathed in sauce, which can be red, green, or combined. It can be served with cheese, onion, avocado, beans, or other desired ingredients.
Why is it called estrujada?
The tortilla, once cooked, is “estrujada” or partially crushed with the hand of a molcajete or a spoon to break it up a little. There are several ways to make them; one is to leave it whole, and the other is to break it up completely. Choose the shape you like best.
How to serve them?
It is usually covered with salsa and served with crema, onion, and avocado. But you can also dip it in refried beans and cover it with a layer of tomato sauce. In the traditional version, cheese is also added, but grated vegan cheese can be used in the vegan version.
The tomato sauce adds a touch of acidity and flavor that balances the richness of the other ingredients. Garnishes such as avocado slices, chopped onion, and cilantro leaves can be added for a final touch.
What does it mean Estrujar?
transitive verb
- Estrujar. To squeeze or twist a thing tightly to extract the juice, liquid, or substance it contains, “squeeze a lemon.”
- Estrujar. To squeeze a soft or pliable thing until, generally, to deform, wrinkle, or spoil it, “he squeezed the paper between his hands.”
Ingredients for making the estrujadas
- Masa harina, oil, as needed.
- To serve tomato sauce, I made mine with chile de arbol and garlic.
- To finish, you can use crema mexicana, sliced red onion, and chopped cilantro.
How to make the estrujadas?
Prepare the masa. In a large bowl, mix the masa harina and salt. Add the warm water little by little while mixing with your hands. Knead until the dough becomes smooth and manageable. If it is too dry, add a little more water; if it is too wet, add a little more masa harina.
Prepare the salsa. Wash the tomatoes, peel the garlic, and cook them in a pot with a bit of water and the amount of chiles you want. The chile de arbol is very spicy, so if you just wish to flavor, add one. When the vegetables are soft, remove them from the water and blend them with a good pinch of salt.
Heat the comal. Heat the griddle or skillet over medium-high heat.
Prepare the estrujadas. Take a portion of dough from a large lemon and form a ball with your hands. Place the masa ball in the center of the tortilla press between two sheets of plastic wrap. Lower the press lever to flatten the dough and form a tortilla about 1/4 inch thick. It is thicker than a regular tortilla.
Lift the lever and carefully remove the formed tortilla. Transfer the tortilla to the hot comal. Cook, on one side, for about 2-3 minutes or until the surface begins to look dry. Turn it over for two, three more minutes. When it is fully cooked, add a little vegetable oil and turn it over a third time and let it brown for a minute.
how to squeeze “estrujar” the tortilla?
- Once the tortilla is cooked, remove it from the griddle and place it on a flat surface.
- Use the pestle of a molcajete, a spoon or a fork to crush and partially break the tortilla. This is the “estrujar”.
How to finish the squeezes?
Put an estrujada one on a plate and bathe with salsa. Finish with sliced red onion and crema mexicana. You can also top them with beans, avocado slices, cilantro, and fresh cheese (vegan).
Serve them for breakfast or as an accompaniment to the main dish. In Mexico, non-vegans serve them with carne asada or cecina.
Nutritional benefits
Estrujadas are a delicious and nutritious dish. The corn tortilla is a good source of carbohydrates, protein, and fiber, and the salsa provides vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Other Mexican salsa recipes
- Authentic green sauce
- Molcajete sauce
- Red sauce with two ingredients
- Chiles toreados
- Salsa verde in two ways
- Mango and habanero sauce
- Tlaquepaque Sauce
- Chili de arbol sauce
Estrujadas veracruzanas: a traditional and delicious dish
Equipment
- 1 Comal
Ingredients
- 2 cups masa harina nixtamalized corn flour
- 1 ½ cups warm water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Vegetable oil as needed
- 3 tomatoes
- 3 chiles de árbol
- 3 cloves garlic
- ¼ red onion sliced
- ½ cup Mexican cream
Instructions
Make the masa
- In a large bowl, mix the masa harina and salt.
- Add the warm water little by little while mixing with your hands.
- Knead until the dough becomes smooth and manageable.
- If it is too dry, add a little more water; if it is too wet, add a bit of masa harina.
Make the salsa
- Wash the tomatoes, peel the garlic, and cook them in a pot with water and the chiles you want.
- The chile de arbol is very spicy, so if you just want flavor add one.
- When the vegetables are soft, remove them from the water and blend with a good pinch of salt.
Heat the comal
- Heat the griddle or skillet over medium-high heat.
Make the estrujadas
- Take a portion of dough from a large lemon and form a ball with your hands.
- Place the dough ball in the center of the tortilla press between two sheets of plastic wrap.
- Lower the press lever to flatten the dough and form a tortilla about 1/4 inch thick.
- Transfer the tortilla to the hot comal.
- Cook on one side, for about 2-3 minutes or until the surface begins to look dry.
- Turn it over for two, three more minutes.
- When it is fully cooked, add a little vegetable oil and turn it over a third time and let it brown for a minute.
- Once the tortilla is cooked, remove it from the skillet and place it on a flat surface. Use the hand of a molcajete, a spoon, or a fork to crush and partially break the tortilla. Bath in salsa and finish with the red onion slices and Mexican crema.
Notes
You can also top them with beans, avocado slices, cilantro and fresh cheese (vegan).
For the estrujadas to be smooth, it is important that the corn dough be well hydrated.
The corn tortilla should be well cooked, but not dry.
The sauce should be to your liking.
You can use red, green or combined sauce.
You can accompany the estr
Nutrition
information
Nutritional information of this recipe is only an estimate, the accuracy for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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