Casa Sanchez Pupusas

Costco sells Casa Sanchez Pupusas! My latest discovery at Costco are these delicious handmade Casa Sanchez Pupusas. What is a pupusa? Well, if you like quesadillas--which I do!--then you will probably like these pupusas. They are made with thick masa harina (like a thick corn tortilla) surrounding yummy, gooey cheese inside. Of course, if you go to a Pupuseria (a pupusa restaurant), you can find all sorts of pupusas made with beans or pork or beans and cheese. The only thing missing from these pupusas is the curtido, the tangy, vinegary carrot and cabbage pickled slaw that is usually served with pupusas. We improvised and just used salsa de molcajete verde (green fire roasted salsa with tomatillos and peppers) and they tasted great! 

Preparation for these pupusas is easy! I simply melted a little butter in a nonstick pan and warmed up the pupusas until the outside got soft and golden brown. The best part? You get 12 of these little gems for only $9.99 at Costco! If you go to a Pupuseria, they usually charge $2.50-$4.00 for one order, which generally consists of two pupusas. Pupusas make a great quick lunch or snack, and each one is only 115 calories! Not too bad for something that tastes like it has a lot more than that!

Here's a Pupusa recipe for you to try at home courtesy of whats4eats.com
Makes 4-5 pupusas

• Masa harina -- 2 cups
• Warm water -- 1 cup
• Filling (see variations) -- 1 cup

Method

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 for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Roll the dough into a log and cut it into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball.
3. Press an indentation in each ball with your thumb. Put about 1 tablespoon of desired filling into each indentation 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 or wax paper 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.

Variations

• Pupusas de Queso: With a cheese filling. Use grated quesillo, queso fresco, farmer's cheese, mozzarella, Swiss cheese or a combination. Add some minced green chile if you like.
• Pupusas de Chicharrones: With a filling of fried chopped pork and a little tomato sauce. A reasonable facsimile can be made by pulsing 1 cup of cooked bacon with a little bit of tomato sauce in a food processor.
• Pupusas de Frijoles Refritos: With a refried bean filling.
• Pupusas Revueltas: Use a mixture of chicharrones, cheese and refried beans.
• Pupusas de Queso y Loroco: With a cheese and tropical vine flower filling.Loroco can be found in jars at many Latin markets.
• Pupusas de Arroz: A variety of pupusa that uses rice flour instead of corn masa.
• Cooked potatoes or finely minced, sautéed jalapeño peppers are also tasty fillings. Try a mixture of different fillings.
• 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.

Notes

• The pupusa is so fundamental to the cuisine of El Salvador that the country has even declared November 13th "National Pupusa Day."
• Pupusas are traditionally made by slapping the dough from palm to palm to flatten it out. I find the tortilla press to be quicker and easier for beginners.

Here's a recipe for curtido, El Salvadoran Pickled Coleslaw that I am going to try to make for the next round of pupusas.

Ingredients

• 1/2 head green cabbage, cored and shredded
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 quart boiling water
• 3 green onions, minced
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano

Directions

1. Combine the cabbage and carrot in a large bowl and pour the boiling water over the mixture. Allow the mixture to steep for 5 minutes; drain well. Return the cabbage and carrots to the bowl. Mix in the green onion, vinegar, 1/2 cup of water, and oregano. Toss until all ingredients are combined. Chill for 20 minutes before serving.