Pupusas de Frijoles y Queso (Bean and Cheese Pupusas)
Pupusas de Frijoles y Queso (Bean and Cheese Pupusas) is a traditional Salvadorean (from El Salvador) recipe for a classic dish of fried maize flour pastries with a cheese and mashed black bean filling. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Salvadorean version of: Bean and Cheese Pupusas (Pupusas de Frijoles y Queso).
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
Pupusas are thick corn masa cakes stuffed with a savoury filling. Pupusas can be filled with pork, cheese, refried beans or all three which are called ‘revueltas’. They are served with curtido and a delicious non-spicy tomato salsa. They count amongst El Salvador’s national dishes.
Bean and cheese pupusas are the ultimate comfort food. They're filled with a flavourful refried bean and cheese mixture.
Ingredients:
For the Filling:
150g dry black beans
1l water
3 tsp chicken bouillon granules
225g mozzarella cheese, grated
For the Masa:
450g masa harina (fine maize flour)
1/2 tsp salt
635ml hot water warm enough to touch comfortably
For the Salsa:
6 roma tomatoes
1/4 onion
3 garlic cloves (do not peel)
2 tsp chicken bouillon granules
2 tbs olive oil (plus more for cooking the pupusas)
Method:
For the Filling: Rinse the beans and add them to a pan with the water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for an hour. Add the chicken bouillon, stir, cover again, and cook for another hour, or until tender.
Drain most of the liquid away, then mash the beans until thick. Take off the heat and set aside to cool completely then stir blend in the mozzarella cheese. Set aside until needed.
For the salsa: Cut a cross in the base of the six roma tomatoes then set them in a pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat then cook for 5 minutes or until the skins start to peel. Remove from heat and set aside to cool until they can be handled. At this point carefully peel the tomatoes (reserve the cooking liquid). Halve the tomatoes then scoop out and discard the cores and seeds.
In the meantime, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until golden and fragrant.
Remove the garlic first so it doesn’t burn. Once cool, peel it and add it to a blender.
Add the tomato flesh to a blender then pout in some of the reserved tomato cooking liquid. Add the onion quarter, garlic and chicken bouillon granules. Process until smooth, adding more of the tomato cooking liquid as needed.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the blended salsa and cook for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt or bouillon if needed.
For the masa: Combine the masa harina and salt in a bowl, mixing well to combine. Slowly add the warm water and mix with your hands for about 5 minutes or until you get a smooth and moist dough.
Divide the dough into 12 equal sized balls.
Put one ball of dough between two sheets of plastic. Use a heavy pan to flatten the ball a bit (don't make it too flat).
Add a heaped tablespoon of the bean and cheese mixture to the centre of the dough. Fold the dough over, as if making an empanada. Use the plastic to help you do this.
Bring the open ends of pastry together then shape into a smooth ball.
Moisten your hands with a little water or oil and use your palms to flatten the filled ball of dough into a thick tortilla.
Sit this shaped pupusa on a large baking tray, then repeat the above steps with the remainder of the dough balls.
Heat a heavy-based frying pan over medium heat. Coat the pan with enough oil to keep the pupusa from sticking.
Once the oil is hot add the pupusa and cook for 3-4 minutes. Then flip and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the pupusa is nicely browned and cooked through (you may need to cook in batches).
)
