Do you ever find yourself with extra tortillas that are a few days old and you aren't quite sure what to do with them? This happens to me all the time, even when I am living back in the U.S. Usually I will buy more corn tortillas than I actually need. By the end of the week, I am left with dried-up tortillas that no longer can be used for tacos. Instead of just tossing them out, I have been looking for different ways to use the stale tortillas. If you don't have any dried tortillas laying  around, no problem. Take fresh tortillas and lay them in an open container or baking dish. Leave them on the counter, preferably in a sunny spot, for 12 hours or overnight.

One day when I was looking for recipe inspiration, I came across a recipe for Green Chile Gordas in Diana Kennedy's The Essential Cuisines of Mexico. I was intrigued by her recipe because it took dried tortillas and brought them back to life by reconstituted them in a milk and chile mixture. The mixture does need to sit for a few hours before forming them into little patties. Once the patties are formed, they are pan-fried until lightly golden brown.

I knew that I had to recreate Diana Kennedy's recipe and make a Vegan version. It does take some pre-planning because they tortilla + chile mixture does need at least 2 hours to rehydrate. I recommend making these on the weekend when you have some extra time to plan ahead.

The tortillas need to be ground into fine crumbs in the blender. I like to do this in 2-3 batches in my Vitamix. It is important that the crumbs aren't large because the mixture will have troubles sticking together later on.

Anaheim chiles are roasted and pureed with non-dairy milk. The chiles aren't too spicy, but they do give a nice kick. After the milk mixture is added, gently mix the dough together with your hands. Cover and set aside for at least 2 hours.

When I first made these gordas, Hector couldn't believe that they were made out of tortillas. He found the texture to be like chicken patties. Strangely, I think he was right. The color and texture resembles chicken patties, but are completely Vegan! I like to serve these with Vegan Sour Cream. This keeps cool down the heat level. If serving for dinner, I recommend serving these will veggies or a light salad. These are definitely not low-carb!

They do take some pre-planning, but it's worth it. If you find yourself with leftover tortillas, try our Green Chile Gordas. If you do try these, be sure to tag us on Instagram at #thymeandlove. We love seeing your photos!

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Green Chile Gordas

Yield: 8-10 Gordas

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Leftover corn tortillas are bought back to life and transformed into little patties {gordas}. They are Vegan + Gluten-Free too!

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Ingredients

• 12 Dried Corn Tortillas
• 3 Anaheim Chiles
• ⅔ Cup Non-Dairy Milk, Warmed
• 1 Tablespoon Refined Coconut Oil, Melted
• Sea Salt to taste
• ¼-1/3 Cup Olive Oil
• Additional ¼ Cup or more Non-Dairy Milk, if needed

Instructions

Roast the Chiles:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place the chiles on a baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes, until the skin softens and black spots appear. Turn the chiles with tongs a few times while they roast. Once roasted, place the chiles in a Ziplock plastic bag for 15 minutes to soften. Remove the chiles from the bag and remove charred skin and top stem. Set aside.

For the dough:

1. Break the tortillas into pieces. In at least two batches, add the tortilla pieces to a blender. Pulse until the tortilla pieces are the size of fine bread crumbs. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
2. In the blender, add the roasted chiles with seeds and warmed milk. Blend until smooth. Add to the mixing bowl. Carefully stir together. Add the melted coconut oil and salt to the dough. With your hands, gently mix everything together. Cover and set aside for 2 hours.

For the Gordas:

1. If the dough is a little dry, add the additional ¼ cup milk. Form the dough into patties about 2 to 2 ½ inches wide. It'll make about 8-10 gordas. The dough is a little messy and will stick while forming them.
2. In a large heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, heat the olive oil over medium to medium high heat. Once hot, add the gordas. You probably will have to cook these in two batches. Don't overcrowd the pan. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side.
3. Serve with Vegan sour cream!

Notes

If you don't have any dried tortillas laying around, no problem. Take fresh tortillas and lay them in an open container or baking dish. Leave them on the counter, preferably in a sunny spot, for 12 hours or overnight.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

 Enjoy! 
Xo Jeni