With all this talk about traditional Salvadoran food, I started hankering for a pupusa. So… I did what any self-respecting Gringo would do: went down to the pupuseria and bought a few. Yummy.

But then I got to thinking… what if I didn’t have local pupuseria to supply me with delicious pupusas? And so I once again did what any self-respecting Gringo would do. I googled pupusa recipes. ( I love Google.)

Here is what I came up with as the most basic recipe: (Quoted from whats4.eats.com)

• 2 cups masa harina
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 cup of filling of your choice (shredded pork, cheese, beans)

1. In a large bowl, mix together the masa harina and water and knead well. Knead in more water, one tablespoonful at a time, if needed to make a moist, yet firm dough. (It should not crack at the edges when you press down on it.) Cover and set aside to rest 5-10 minutes.
2. Roll dough into a log and cut into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball.
3. Press a hole in each ball with your thumb. Put about 1 tablespoon of desired filling into each ball and fold the dough over to completely enclose it. Press the ball out with your palms to form a disc, taking care that that the filling doesn’t spill out.
4. Line a tortilla press with plastic and press out each ball to about 5-6 inches wide and about 1/4-inch thick. If you don’t have a tortilla press, place the dough between two pieces of plastic wrap and roll it out with a rolling pin.
5. Heat an ungreased skillet over medium-high flame. Cook each pupusa for about 1-2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned and blistered. Remove to a plate and hold warm until all pupusas are done. Serve with curtido and salsa roja.

The site says: “The above recipe uses masa harina, a special dried cornmeal flour used in making tortillas, tamales, etc. If you are able to get fresh masa, definitely use it instead. The flavor will be much fresher. Just substitute the masa harina and water with fresh masa. One pound will make about 4-6 pupusas depending on size.”

I think my favorite are the refried bean and cheese ones, although I would say the National favorite is probably Pupusas de Chicharrones, which are filled with fried, chopped pork and tomato sauce.

What’s your favorite flavor of pupusa?

Related posts:

• Pass the Pupusas Please!
• Salvadorian Food: What to expect
• Fitting In, Gringo Style