To Make the Masa:

• Mix the ingredients. Whisk the blue corn masa-harina and salt. Add the water and mix until a loose dough forms.
• Knead. Use your hands to knead the dough until it’s nice and smooth. If it’s too dry, add 1 tsp of water at a time until it becomes manageable. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll them into balls.
• Let them rest. Cover the pieces of dough with a damp kitchen towel. Giving them a light spray of cooking oil can also help prevent them from drying out. Set them aside until your filling is ready.

To Make the Filling:

• Cook the beans. Add the oil to a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and dried chile de árbol. Stir for 2 minutes. Add the beans and their cooking liquid into the pan. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Mash the beans. Remove the chiles and onion from the pan. Lower the heat and use a potato masher to mash the beans until they’re creamy. If they dry out too much, add a bit more cooking liquid. Cook for another 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt to taste.
• Cool the beans. Remove them from the heat and set them aside to cool.

To Make the Tlacoyos:

• Flatten the dough. Use your hands to carefully flatten the dough into a medium-sized oval, about the size of your hand or a little bit bigger. Repeat this for every piece of dough.
• Fill the tlacoyos. Scoop 1-3 tbsp of refried beans into the center. Fold the sides of the dough in (enclosing the beans) and pinch the seams. Repeat for all the tlacoyos.
• Shape the tlacoyos. Use your hands to shape the filled tlacoyos into a flattened diamond or oval with pointy tips. They should be about 1/4″ thick. Set them aside and cover with a damp kitchen towel.
• Cook them. Grease a large pan or griddle with a little bit of cooking spray over medium-low heat. Cook them for 3 minutes on each side. Cooking time will depend on their actual thickness, so snap a piece off one and taste it. If the masa is still raw, let them cook for another 1-2 minutes.
• Cool. Remove them from the heat and set them aside to cool.

To Serve the Tlacoyos:

• Add toppings. Place the cooked tlacoyos on a plate and top them with Mexican crema, salsa, cotija cheese, onion, tomato, nopal salad, and avocado to taste. Enjoy!