Pupusas

I came across corn flour in the cupboard this week and was inspired to try making pupusas - Salvadorian masa cakes traditionally filled with refried beans, pork and/or cheese. I have only had them a couple of times before: in Mercado Central and at the Pupuseria on Lake Street closer to 14th (I think). I came across this article from The Heavy Table that outlines a few different places in the twin cities with good pupusas and some nice photos.

The recipe for the masa dough is super simple(for 4-6 pupusas):
2 cups masa harina
1 c. warm water
Mix the masa harina and water and knead together (adding in a bit more water if needed) until the texture is smooth and does not crack. Cover and let sit 10 minutes.
While the dough is sitting, prepare the filling:
1 cup refried beans
cheese

It was difficult for me to get the right texture with the masa. I'll keep testing that, but this video about how to prepare the pupusa shows the texture you are looking for, and also the technique of making them. I found it KEY to use some oil on my hands so the masa would not stick while I was shaping the cakes. After making the cakes, fry on a dry cast iron pan for many minutes on each side. The goal is to heat the filling inside as well as brown the outside.

Next time I want to try making the traditional topping - curtido - which is a fermented carrot and cabbage mix. I ended up putting some left over mesa red sauce on mine, which was tasty, but missing the tang.