Papadzules Reales con Salsa de Pepita
(pah-pah-dzoo-less)
Desayunos Fuertes: Weekend Mornings at Home
Hulled pumpkin seeds hit a dry skillet. Toasted until they pop, they ensure mornings don't smell like cereal; they smell like toasted seeds, charred tomatoes, and the unmistakable, earthy perfume of fresh epazote, as Papadzules anchor the menu with warm tortillas and dense seed puree. No fancy techniques, just real ingredients demanding a little respect: treat the creamy pumpkin seed emulsion gently over low heat without letting it boil, while a countertop blender handles the heavy labor, leaving only the rapid assembly of hard-boiled eggs.
Before you start
Hard-boil and finely chop the eggs.
Place the eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a rolling boil, then remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 12 minutes before transferring to an ice bath, peeling, and chopping.
Warm the tortillas.
Warm the corn tortillas on a dry skillet until they are very soft and pliable, keeping them wrapped in a clean towel so they don't tear during assembly.
Ingredients
- large eggs6 large
- corn tortillas12 med
- raw unsalted pumpkin seeds1 1/2 cup
- water3 cup
- fresh epazote sprigs3 med
- kosher salt1 tsp
- Roma tomatoes4 med
- white onion1/4 large
- habanero pepper1 med
- garlic1 small clove
- neutral oil1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Steep the epazote broth.
Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan, add the epazote sprigs, turn off the heat, and let it steep like tea for 10 minutes before discarding the spent stems.
- 02
Char the vegetables for the chiltomate.
Heat a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and roast the whole tomatoes, onion wedge, garlic clove, and whole habanero directly on the metal until blistered and blackened in spots.
- 03
Blend and simmer the chiltomate.
Blend the charred tomatoes, onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt to a textured puree, then simmer the puree with the oil and whole, unblended habanero in a small saucepan for 5 to 8 minutes to extract floral heat without blowing your head off.
- 04
Toast the pumpkin seeds.
Wipe the cast-iron skillet clean, reduce heat to medium-low, and gently toast the raw pumpkin seeds while stirring constantly until they pop and swell, being extremely careful not to let them brown.
- 05
Emulsify the salsa de pepita.
Blend the toasted pumpkin seeds with two cups of the warm, steeped epazote broth on high until completely smooth, then transfer to a wide saucepan over the lowest possible heat.
- 06
Guard the emulsion from boiling.
This sauce is a delicate emulsion and will curdle if boiled; keep the heat at the absolute minimum just to keep it warm, thin with extra broth if needed, and season with salt.
- 07
Assemble the papadzules.
Working one at a time, dip a warm tortilla completely into the warm green pumpkin seed sauce, place on a serving platter, spoon a line of chopped egg down the center, and roll it up tightly.
- 08
Garnish and serve immediately.
Blanket the rolled tortillas generously with the remaining warm pumpkin seed sauce, spoon the red chiltomate down the center for a striking color contrast, and scatter any leftover chopped egg on top.
Notes
Listen to the seeds.
When toasting the pepitas, rely on the auditory cue of them popping and swelling rather than a timer. If they burn, the entire sauce becomes bitterly unpalatable.
Respect the habanero.
Leaving the roasted habanero whole as it simmers in the chiltomate infuses the sauce with its unmistakable floral aroma without aggressively spicing the dish.