Patrick Oconnell
Pupusas are a popular dish in El Salvador, where they are commonly sold as street food. They are thick corn tortillas or pancakes made from a dough of corn flour, water, salt, and fat, and filled with cheese, beans, meat, or mashed potatoes. The cheese used in pupusas is typically a mild, salty, slightly stringy cheese such as mozzarella, quesillo, or queso fresco. To put the cheese in a pupusa, one must first divide the dough into several evenly-sized balls. Then, using your thumb, press an indentation into each ball and fill it with cheese. The dough is then closed around the cheese and reshaped into a ball, before being flattened into a thick disc. The pupusas are then cooked on a griddle or in a pan for several minutes on each side until browned and crispy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Dough division | 6-14 balls |
| Dough ball size | Golf ball-sized |
| Indentation method | Thumb |
| Filling | Shredded cheese, refried beans, meat, mashed potatoes, chorizo, etc. |
| Filling quantity | 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese |
| Shaping | Flatten each ball into a thick disk |
| Pan type | Non-stick |
| Heat | Medium |
| Oil type | Cooking oil |
| Cooking time | 3-4 minutes per side |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Make sure the dough is not dry to prevent cracking
To prevent cracking, make sure your pupusa dough is not dry. The dough should be moist and soft, and the masa will be very wet. You can dip your hands in an oil and water mixture to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands as you form the pupusas. If the dough tears while you are forming the pupusa, simply pinch it back together.
When shaping the dough, do not make the pupusa too flat. It should be thick, not thin like a tortilla. If there are cracks, the cheese will leak out and create a mess, and possibly burn. You can try to smooth out the cracks by wetting your fingers with water.
To make the dough, start by whisking together masa harina and salt. Note that masa harina is not the same as cornmeal. The most popular brand is Maseca. Add cold water and mix with a spatula until it's mostly combined. Then, use your hands to finish mixing.
Divide the dough into even-sized balls. You can use a cookie scoop to help with this. The balls should be about the size of a golf ball. Then, flatten the balls.
The Maggoty Truth About Cheese
You may want to see also
Flatten dough balls and add cheese
To flatten dough balls and add cheese to make pupusas, start by ensuring your dough is not dry. Divide the dough into 6 to 14 evenly-sized balls, depending on how many pupusas you want to make. Make an indentation in the centre of each ball with your thumb and work it into a small "bowl" with your fingers. If the dough is sticky, lightly moisten or oil your hands.
Add your desired filling to the indentation. Traditional fillings include refried beans and shredded cheese, but you can also add meat, mashed potatoes, chorizo, or any other filling of your choice. The key is to ensure that your filling is not too wet, so that it does not leak out of the pupusa while cooking. Place about a tablespoon of shredded cheese into the indentation. If you are using cheese as your sole filling, add as much cheese as you can without it spilling out.
Next, carefully bring the dough edges together, enclosing the filling within. Use your hands to gently flatten the filled dough ball into a thick disc, about 1/4 inch thick. It is important that the disc is not too thin, otherwise, the cheese will leak out during cooking.
The Ultimate Guide to Italians' Pasta and Cheese
You may want to see also
Fold the dough like an empanada
To fold the dough like an empanada, you must first flatten the dough ball. You can use a heavy pot or a rolling pin to do this. Next, add as much cheese as you can to the centre of the flattened dough. Now, fold the dough in half, as if you were making an empanada, and seal the edges. You can use a fork to press the edges together or use your fingers to pinch and seal the edges. It is important that the dough is not too dry, as this can cause cracks in the pupusa, which will lead to the cheese leaking out.
If you are making empanada dough from scratch, you can follow this simple recipe. Combine wheat flour and water and knead until you achieve a soft consistency. Cover the dough and let it rest for about an hour while you prepare the filling. When you are ready to assemble the empanadas, roll out the dough and cut it into circles using a bowl, pan lid, or any other circular object. Place your choice of filling on one side of the dough circle and fold the other half of the dough over the filling. Seal the edges of the empanada by pressing them together with your fingers or a fork. You can also cut off any excess dough or fold it back to create a decorative edge.
The Laughing Cow: Cinnamon Cheese, a Sweet Surprise?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Flatten again to make a thick disk
Once you've added the cheese to the flattened dough, it's time to shape it back into a ball. You can use the plastic bag to help you do this. The ball doesn't have to be perfect. You can take the two ends and push them in and up to form a ball. Now, we are going to flatten this ball again to make a thick disk.
Place a flap of the plastic bag back over the ball. Using a heavy pot or your hands, flatten the ball again. It shouldn't be thin like a tortilla. Pupusas should be thick to prevent cracking and cheese leakage. If your pupusa has cracks, try wetting your fingers with water and smoothing it out.
The flattened dough should be about 1/4 inch thick, yielding a delicious, stuffed pancake-like disk. They should be thick, like a pancake, and not too flat. This will ensure that the cheese melts and becomes gooey and irresistible.
Now, we are ready to cook the pupusas. Heat up a skillet over medium heat. Coat the skillet with some oil to prevent the pupusas from sticking. Once the oil is hot, add the pupusa and cook for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until nicely browned and cooked through.
Beef Stew: Should You Add Cheese?
You may want to see also
Cook in a skillet for 3-4 minutes
Once you've prepared your pupusas, it's time to cook them in a skillet for 3-4 minutes. Here's a detailed guide:
First, preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. You can use a non-stick pan or a regular pan with a small amount of cooking oil. Sunflower oil, vegetable oil, or any neutral-flavored cooking oil will work. Grease the skillet with cooking spray or brush the surface with oil. You want to use just enough oil to prevent the pupusas from sticking to the pan.
When the oil is hot, carefully place the pupusas in the pan. Cook the pupusas for 3-4 minutes on each side, until they are lightly browned and cooked through. You'll know they're ready to flip when the edges are set and the bottom is a light golden colour.
If you're cooking in batches, you can keep the cooked pupusas warm in the oven at 200 degrees F. Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet and transfer the cooked pupusas to the rack while you cook the remaining pupusas.
Finally, serve your pupusas immediately. They go well with curtido (a cabbage slaw) and salsa roja. Enjoy your delicious, freshly cooked pupusas!
Cheese Storage: Does Bagging Cheese Keep it Fresher?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Mix Maseca and salt in a bowl, then slowly add warm water and mix with your hand until you have a soft dough.
Divide the dough into 6-14 evenly-sized balls. Press a deep indent into each ball with your thumb, then use your fingers to create a small "bowl".
Any shredded cheese that melts well will work. Mozzarella, queso fresco, and Oaxacan cheese are all good options.
Place a heaping tablespoon of cheese into the "bowl" in the dough. Bring the edges of the dough together to cover the cheese, then pinch the edges to seal. Roll the dough back into a ball, then flatten it into a thick disk.
