Chimichangas Dulces de Tubac

Ingredients

Tortillas

  • 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup pork lard
  • Water
  • Flour (for baking sheet)
  • Butter (for greasing hands)
  • Lard (for deep drying)

Filling

  • 2 cups pitted apricots, peaches or dried apples
  • 2 tablespoons raisins (optional)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
  • Butter
  • Confectioners' sugar
  • Aniseed (optional)

Instructions

  1. Tortillas: Mix flour, salt and cinnamon thoroughly. Cut in lard with a knife. Add enough water to mix into rather elastic dough. Cut the dough into egg-size lumps. Chill for 30 minutes.
  2. Dust baking sheet with flour. Butter hands. Pat out each dough ball as big in diameter as the largest skillet you have.
  3. Put skillet over moderate (300 degrees F to 325 degrees F) heat. Heat skillet until a drop of water dances and sizzles. Lightly heat each tortilla for 1 minute on each side until lightly browned or speckled. Remove and stack in a towel. Set aside.
  4. Filling: Stew enough apricots, peaches or dried apples to make 2 cups, adding 2 tablespoons raisins, if desired. Stir granulated sugar and grated lemon rind into fruit. Bring to a boil and stir; cool.
  5. To assemble chimis, fold each tortilla 2 inches down from the top and up from the bottom; spread the cooled filling from fold to fold, 2 inches in and 2 inches from the right-hand edge. Spread a little butter an inch from the fruit. Roll the chimis right to left around the fruit.
  6. Heat lard to 370 degrees F, bubbling hot. Drop chimichangas in one by one. Remove as they turn golden brown. Drain on brown paper.
  7. Serve hot, sprinkled with confectioners' sugar. Add aniseed, if desired.