Navajo Tacos

My Navajo brother-in-law makes these all the time. They are also called scones and you can just put honey or powdered sugar on them. To make a meal out of it, follow these simple directions. These should be ready to eat in approximately 30-40 minutes.

Dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, in 1/2" cubes

3/4 cup lukewarm water (110-115⁰ approximately)

Toppings:

1/4 – 1/2 onion chopped into small pieces (1/4" or less cubes)

1 lb. hamburger

1 small can refried beans

1/2 – 1 tomato chopped into about 1/2" cubes

Lettuce, either a bag of sliced or iceberg lettuce and slice into strips (use a few leafs)

8 ounce bag of grated cheddar cheese

8 ounce sour cream

Salsa for topping

Tools:

Electric fry pan (or any frying pan)

Bowl for dough and towel to cover

Pan to keep cooked dough warm in oven

Metal tongs

Rolling pin (optional)

Paper towels

1. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt.

2. Work in the cold butter, using a pastry blender, your fingers, or a mixer.

3. Stir in the warm water to make a soft dough. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

While the dough is resting for 15 minutes, fry the onion until softened (optional if you don't like onions). Add hamburger and cook until browned. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in 200 degree (or warm) oven while you prepare dough.

Divide the dough into eight pieces. Working with one piece at a time, roll into a thin 5" round, about 3/8" thick. Or, you can just pull it gently with both hands until it is a roundish shape.

Heat about 3/8" vegetable oil to 375°F in an electric frying pan, or in a pan over a burner. If not using an electric frying pan, use a candy thermometer to take the temperature of the oil. (Usually you hear kind of a “popping” sound to indicate it is hot.)

Pick up one dough disk, and carefully lower it into the pan. Let it cook for 60 seconds (it'll puff up on top and become light brown on the bottom), then flip it over and cook until light brown on the other side, about 60 seconds. You don't want to cook these too dark; they'll become overly crisp. Remove from the oil and set on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Place in a 200°F oven to keep warm while you make the remaining fried doughs.

If you don’t want to make a meal out of this, at this point you would take a fried dough disc and cover it with powdered sugar or honey. If making dinner out of this, go to next step.

Take one fried dough disc and put on a plate. Take some refried beans and cover fried dough, then put some hamburger on top of that, then layer salsa, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and sour cream (as desired).

At this point the meal or dessert is done and you may enjoy your Navajo taco or scone.