Pupusas

Instructions

Make the tortilla dough by following the directions on the bag of masa, preparing as much as you need. Each pupusa takes about as much dough as two tortillas. Set the dough aside while you make the fillings.

For the cheese filling, mix the shredded cheeses with the cream, loroco (or the green pepper or scallion substitute) and salt into a paste. Keep it fairly firm, because a soft paste will leak out of the pupusas as they cook.

For the pork filling, cook the bacon with a little garlic and set the fat aside. Grind the cooked bacon with the tomatoes, green pepper and salt to taste, then stir in some of the reserved fat until the mixture is soft.

Prepare the ground and fried beans as you like them. Use any of the three fillings, alone or combined, for the pupusas.

Shape each pupusa from 2 tablespoons of dough. For the beginner method, roll the dough into a ball and clap it between your hands into a thin round about ⅛ inch thick. Make a second round, put filling on one, cover with the other and press the edges to seal.

For the experienced method, roll the dough into a ball and press your thumb into the center to make a hole. Fill the hole, then pinch the dough up and over to close it. Clap the ball gently between your hands to flatten it without squeezing the filling out.

Cook the pupusas on a lightly greased griddle or pan over low-medium heat, 325 to 350°F. Turn them once. Each side is done when the pupusa no longer sticks to the pan, which can take 4 minutes or more per side depending on thickness.

Serve the pupusas topped with curtido and tomato sauce, and eat them with your fingers.