Itacate of Tlacoyos for the Road
Oval masa cakes, thicker than tortillas, filled with bean or fava purée, cooked on the comal. Compact and nourishing, they travel well and keep for a whole day without spoiling.
Oval masa cakes, thicker than tortillas, filled with bean or fava purée, cooked on the comal. Compact and nourishing, they travel well and keep for a whole day without spoiling.
When we head into the sierras, we never know when we'll eat again. So the woman prepares the itacate: firm tlacoyos, stuffed with frijoles, wrapped in a leaf and tucked near the cartridge belt. On horseback, you bite into them without dismounting. They're tough when cold, but they hold your belly from sunrise to sunset. A man with his itacate and his rifle can go far to defend his land.
- •Nixtamalized corn masa — a good amount (cake dough)
- •Bean or fava purée — as needed for filling (inner filling)
- •Salt — a pinch (seasoning)
- •Lard or fat — a little (dough binder)
Itacate of Tlacoyos for the Road
Oval masa cakes, thicker than tortillas, filled with bean or fava purée, cooked on the comal. Compact and nourishing, they travel well and keep for a whole day without spoiling.
Why this dish? The Zapatistas moved on horseback through the mountains of Morelos. Like all peasants on campaign, Zapata and his men carried an itacate: masa cakes stuffed with beans, easy to pack in a cartridge belt or saddlebag, eaten cold between marches.
When we head into the sierras, we never know when we'll eat again. So the woman prepares the itacate: firm tlacoyos, stuffed with frijoles, wrapped in a leaf and tucked near the cartridge belt. On horseback, you bite into them without dismounting. They're tough when cold, but they hold your belly from sunrise to sunset. A man with his itacate and his rifle can go far to defend his land.
Ingredients (period version)
- Nixtamalized corn masa — a good amount (cake dough)
- Bean or fava purée — as needed for filling (inner filling)
- Salt — a pinch (seasoning)
- Lard or fat — a little (dough binder)
Ingredients
- Masa harina (nixtamalized corn flour) — 300 g (cake dough)
- Warm water — about 250 ml (hydrating the dough)
- Cooked and mashed black beans — 150 g (filling)
- Lard or neutral oil — 1 tbsp (for dough and cooking)
- Salt — 1/2 tsp (seasoning)
Method
- Mix the masa harina, salt, and warm water until you get a soft, non-sticky dough (adjust water as needed).
- Form balls, flatten in your palm, place a spoonful of bean purée in the center, close, and flatten again into a thick oval cake.
- Cook on a dry, hot pan or comal for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until the surface is spotted brown.
- Let cool slightly before wrapping in a cloth or corn husk for transport.
- Eat warm or cold, plain or with salsa if available.
How it was made : The itacate (from Nahuatl *itacatl*) is an ancient practice: a bundle of provisions taken on a journey, to the fields, or on a military campaign. Tlacoyos, stuffed masa cakes cooked on the comal, were a common item because they remained edible for a long time without refrigeration.
The contemporary twist : Served hot, opened and topped with grilled nopal, fresh cheese, and salsa, tlacoyos become a popular contemporary market dish in Mexico City.
Sources : Coe, Sophie D., America's First Cuisines, University of Texas Press, 1994 · Pilcher, Jeffrey M., ¡Que vivan los tamales!, University of New Mexico Press, 1998
Emiliano Zapata · Charactorium
