What to do with that package of old (but not moldy) corn tortillas that has been sitting in your refrigerator for weeks? This dish, adapted from Adela Fernández' 1989, "La Tradicional Cocina Mexicana" is the answer to that age-old question.
I used sprouted corn tortillas which have become my favorite lately. I spread the tortillas out on a cookie sheet and put them into a pre-heated 350˚ oven and immediately turned the heat off. The next morning they were hard and brittle and I broke them up into pieces.
Then I ground them to a powder in a spice grinder.
Next I soaked the the corn powder in 3/4 cup raw milk for an hour.
In a food processor I mixed the soaked corn with egg, garlic, onion, epazote and salt. I rolled the dough into small walnut-sized pieces and fried them in enough hot oil to reach 3/4 of the way to the tops of the balls. Working in batches fry them until they are golden brown on all sides.
In a blender grind the tomatoes the garlic and serrano chile and sauté in some of the reserved oil
until it is reduced a bit. Add the "meat" balls and simmer for about 10 minutes. Taste for salt.
1 package 12 count corn tortillas
3/4 cup raw milk
1 egg
1 garlic clove
1/4 small onion
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp dried epazote
1 can tomatoes (14 oz)
1 garlic clove
1 small serrano chile
salt to tasteMakes approximately 32 tortilla "meat" balls. Serve with black beans.
