What is Papusa

Papusas are best described as stuffed tortillas. You can choose a filling of cheese, or spicy pork cooked crisps like bacon, or cheese, pork, and fried beans.

This is a papusa: imagine a fresh, soft, tortilla-like dough. It is formed into a ball, then flattened with the hand by patting it gently.

The filling is placed in the center of the dough circle. With the flat papusa in hand, the hand closes in a fist; the papusa becoming a ball as a result, the filling now completely enclosed and hidden by the dough.

Then, the papusa is once again flattened by slapping it, and it takes on the shape of a tortilla but is about one-half inch thick. It is cooked in a very hot, heavy skillet until golden.

They can be eaten plain, or topped with sauerkraut and a robust, homemade tomato sauce.

Beer is often swigged with pupusas. In El Salvador, the beer you drink depends largely on your social status. If you’re poor, you’d drink the government-made Pilsener. The middle-class drinks Regia; the affluent drink Suprema.

Another papusa, another beer. The sounds of friends’ laughter.

It is typically served with curtido (a spicy cabbage salad) as well as tomato salsa. It’s commonly eaten with a spoon.

Here is One Delicious Pupusa Recipe

PAPUSAS OF PORK

1 lb. pork loin

1 medium green pepper

1 medium onion

2 medium tomatoes

salt to taste

1 cup water

1/4 cup lemon juice

Dough: 4 cups of cornflour (masa harina)

1 to 11/2 cups water

Filling:

1. Cut meat into small chunks. Cook in a pot with the water and lemon juice until the meat becomes crispy.

2. In a food processor, add the meat, tomatoes, onion, and green pepper. The process to make a paste (forcemeat).

3. Freeze paste for two hours, firming it and making it easier to work.

Papusas:

1. In a bowl, add the cornflour and water to make a dough of medium consistency (neither too soft nor too stiff).

2. Take about 3 oz. of dough and flatten, making a circle. Place about 1 oz. of the meat paste in the middle of the circle.

3. Close the circle of dough, trying to get the paste enclosed by the dough. Flatten again, and shape into a circle, like a tortilla.

4. In a very hot skillet, cook the pupusas until golden brown.

It can be served as is or with a topping of sauerkraut and tomato sauce.