Homemade Tostada Shells
Hey there!
We previously posted a recipe for mom's awesome tostadas. This is by far one of my family's favorite recipes. It's a good day in our home when it's TOSTADA day. Anyhow, the recipe previously posted called for buying premade tostadas at the store. There is ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with premade tostadas...heck, I've got some in my pantry as we speak....er, as I type.
But if you want to step it up a notch....or 10....make your own. Depending on how many you want to make, could be time-consuming. But, it's a fairly simple process that will take the taste of your tostadas to whole other level.
This is something you can make a day ahead if you don't want to cook the beans, refry the beans, cook the meat and make the sauce all on the same day.
INGREDIENTS
corn tortillas- as many as you'll need. I usually calculate 4 per person - vegetable oil- I start with about 2 cups
DIRECTIONS
Pour the oil in a pan and heat at medium heat. Once it's heated add your first tortilla. I fry one at a time because they're temperamental, and that's why I say it could be time-consuming depending on how many you're frying.
I use tongs to push the tortilla down to make sure it's under the oil. I lift it every so often to check the bottom. Once it's golden brown, I flip over. I like mine brownish because they're crunchier that way. But you can play with the level of crunchiness you prefer.
Once it's golden brown on both sides, pick it up out of the oil with your tongs so the oil drips off as much as possible, then place the tostada shell on a plate with paper towels on it, 2-3,so the paper towels soak up more oil.
Put the next tortilla in the oil and repeat for each tortilla.
HELPFUL TIPS
-The first tostada will take longer to fry. The rest will become progressively quicker to fry, as the heat rises in temperature.
- You will notice the oil level will decrease. Add oil as you start to see that the tortilla can't be submerged in the oil as easily.
- Oil splatters...they happen! It can be cleaned up off your appliances and countertops, no problem. A bit of a mess. However, if it splatters on your skin, or eye, not so bueno. I use this handy oil splatter screen and it has made a world of a difference! We did not have these growing up. But I recently came across these and they make safety and clean up that much easier! You place it to rest on top of your pan so it covers the entire opening of your. Of course, when I'm prodding and flipping my tostadas, you can't just lay it to rest. I hold it in such a way that it's protecting my face and I lift it up on the side opposite my face, so I can get my tongs in there and push the tortilla down and flip, etc. When you're comfortable just leaving the tortilla alone to fry, you can simply lay it to rest on top of your pan...and no splatters!
I hope you take the time to make these. You'll never want to buy tostadas again...unless you have no time, and are having wine with a friend and you run out of time to fry....which is how I ended up with store bought tostadas in my pantry....
Until next time and buen provecho!!
