- 1 pound tomatoes (4 medium)
- 2 fresh serrano chiles or 1 jalapeño chile
- 2 tablespoons chopped white onion
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 cups masa harina (“masa mix”) such as Maseca or Quaker
- 1 1/3 cups warm water
- 10 ounces queso fresco (Mexican fresh cheese) or feta, crumbled (2 cups)
- Garnish: chopped fresh cilantro
- Special equipment: a tortilla press or a rolling pin
- Preheat broiler.
- Broil tomatoes and chiles in a foil-lined small shallow baking pan 2 to 3 inches from heat, turning frequently, until lightly charred on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes for chiles, 12 to 15 minutes for tomatoes (flesh should be soft). Alternatively, char vegetables in a hot well-seasoned griddle or cast-iron skillet over moderate heat.
- Core tomatoes and stem chiles, then purée with onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste, in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot ingredients).
- Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until just hot. Stir 1/2 cup tomato sauce into oil (this reduces spattering), then, when bubbling vigorously, add remaining sauce.
- Fry, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro and salt to taste.
- Stir together masa harina, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and water in a large bowl with a wooden spoon until it forms a dough. Knead in bowl with heel of hand 1 to 2 minutes.
- Divide dough into 16 pieces and roll each into a 1 1/2-inch ball.
- Roll balls into 3-inch-long logs. Transfer logs as formed to a plastic-wrap–lined tray and cover with more plastic wrap.
- Heat a well-seasoned large cast-iron griddle or skillet over moderately high heat until hot.
- Cut 2 (5-inch) squares from a small plastic bag and use 1 to line lower half of tortilla press. Put a log of dough in press and top with second square of plastic. Close press, pushing gently on lever to flatten dough to a 4- by 3- by 3 1/2-inch oval. If press doesn’t flatten evenly, rotate tortilla 180 degrees and gently flatten again. (Alternatively, use a rolling pin to flatten dough between squares of plastic.)
- Remove plastic and cook oval on hot griddle until a skin forms and some small golden spots appear, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Make more ovals, cooking 3 or 4 at a time.
- Remove memelas from heat and, when cool enough to handle, form sides: Beginning 1/2 inch from edge of each memela and working all around it, push undercooked masa toward edge with your thumb and pinch up to form a 1/4-inch side. Then pinch up masa in center of memela in several places. If dough still seems very raw, cook memelas upside down on hot griddle 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons cheese on each memela and top with 1 to 2 tablespoons tomato sauce. Heat filled memelas, 4 at a time, on hot griddle until bubbling, about 3 minutes. Serve hot.