Papadzules

Ingredients

• 2 cups raw hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 6 fresh epazote leaves (or 1 tablespoon dried epazote)
• 1 serrano chile, stemmed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 corn tortillas
• 6 large eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
• 3 ripe tomatoes, roasted
• 2 dried chile de árbol, toasted and stemmed
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup white onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Method

1. 1

   Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until puffed and fragrant but not browned, about 5 minutes.

   5:00 · Toast pumpkin seeds
2. 2

   Let the toasted seeds cool slightly, then grind in a food processor or blender to a fine, slightly oily paste.

3. 3

   In a 6-quart saucepan, bring the water, epazote leaves, serrano chile, and salt to a simmer over medium heat.

   5:00 · Simmer epazote water
4. 4

   Remove the serrano and epazote from the liquid, then whisk the ground pumpkin seed paste into the hot water a little at a time to form a smooth, thick sauce.

5. 5

   Return the pan to low heat and warm the sauce gently, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened; do not let it boil or the oils will separate.

   5:00 · Warm pumpkin seed sauce
6. 6

   Taste the sauce and adjust salt as needed; keep warm over very low heat.

7. 7

   Make the tomato-chile oil: heat the vegetable oil in a 9-inch skillet over medium heat and sauté the onion and garlic until softened, about 3 minutes.

   3:00 · Sauté onion and garlic
8. 8

   Add the roasted tomatoes and toasted dried chiles to the skillet and cook, mashing with a spoon, until a thick, saucy mixture forms, about 8 minutes.

   8:00 · Cook tomato-chile oil
9. 9

   Transfer the tomato mixture to a blender and puree until smooth, then strain through a sieve back into the skillet and keep warm.

10. 10

    Warm the corn tortillas one at a time in a dry skillet until soft and pliable, about 20 seconds per side.

    0:20 · Warm tortilla
11. 11

    Dip each warm tortilla briefly into the pumpkin seed sauce to coat, then fill with a spoonful of chopped hard-boiled egg and roll into a cylinder.

12. 12

    Arrange three filled tortillas per plate, seam side down, and spoon the remaining pumpkin seed sauce generously over the top.

13. 13

    Drizzle the tomato-chile oil over the sauced tortillas in streaks and serve immediately while warm.