If you have leftover mashed potatoes, you could use those as well.
As a young child, I had no idea that my family fit firmly into the lower-income class category.
All I knew was that I belonged.
Photo: Eric Wolfinger
This core memory floods my mind every time I eat tacos de papa, or potato tacos.
I’ve eaten and made them more times than I can count.
With my children, whose playful approach always brings laughter to our kitchen.
Eric Wolfinger
What never crossed my mind, though, was the question of the origins of this particular dish.
Fascinated with history, including my own Mexican heritage, I set out to find an answer.
Not surprisingly, my journey began with potatoes.
By that time, the Incans had already been cultivating them for thousands of years.
But potatoes weren’t the only thing the Spanish brought to Mexico.
In the end, this was as close to the origins of potato tacos that I could trace.
They hold not only my story, but also centuries of human history.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer.
Cook until a paring knife easily slides through the center, 22 to 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, place tomatoes and serrano (or jalapeno) in a medium saucepan with 4 cups water.
(You want them to retain some firmness but not become overly soft.)
Remove the stem from the chile.
Carefully transfer the tomatoes and chile to a blender (reserve the cooking water).
Pulse 2 to 3 times.
Drain the potatoes and carefully remove the skins, if desired.
Transfer the potatoes to a medium bowl; add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Coarsely mash, leaving small chunks intact.
Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave on High for 30 seconds.
Keep wrapped and warm until ready to use.
Fold and seal with 2 to 3 toothpicks.
Fry half of the tacos, carefully flipping once, until golden brown, about 1 minute per side.
Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Repeat with the remaining tacos.
Carefully remove the toothpicks from the tacos.
To make ahead
Refrigerate salsa (Steps 2-3) airtight for up to 4 days.
Tip
Cotija cheeseis a crumbly, low-moisture Mexican cheese.
Look for it in the dairy section or with other dips in most grocery stores.
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient.
