WHY THIS PUPUSAS RECIPE WORKS
Hydrating the masa harina with boiling instead of room-temperature water allowed the starches within the flour to soak up it more quickly and completely, leading to a well-hydrated dough that was easy to work with and didn't dry out when cooked. The proper ratio of masa dough to filling ensured that each bite of pupusa included plenty of melted cheese filling. Press the stuffed pupusas into 4-inch disks between sheets of plastic, provided uniform thickness, and allowed us to cook four pupusas at once in a 12-inch skillet. The crunch and acidic brightness of curtido and salsa perfectly complemented the tender, savory patties.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
For accurate measurement of boiling water, bring a full pot of water to a boil and then measure out the desired amount. Properly hydrated masa dough should be tacky, requiring damp hands to keep it from sticking to your palms. If the dough feels the slightest bit dry at any time, knead in warm tap water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mix is tacky. An occasional leak while frying the pupusas is to be expected, and the browned cheese is delicious.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PUPUSAS RECIPE
Using marker, draw a 4-inch circle in the center of 1 side of 1-quart or 1-gallon zipper-lock bag. Cut open seams along both sides of the bag, but leave bottom seam intact, so bag opens completely.
Mix the masa harina, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Add boiling water and one teaspoon oil and mix with a rubber spatula until soft dough forms. Cover dough and let rest for 20 minutes.
While the dough rests, line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the beans in medium bowl, and mash with potato masher or fork until chunky paste forms. Add Monterey Jack, cumin, oregano, cayenne, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and stir until evenly mixed. Form mixture into eight balls, weighing about 1½ ounces each, and place balls on one half of the prepared sheet.
Knead dough in the bowl for 15 to 20 seconds. Test dough's hydration by flattening golf ball–size piece. If cracks larger than ¼ inch form around edges, add warm tap water, two teaspoons at a time until the mixture is soft and slightly tacky. Transfer dough to counter, shape into a large ball and divide into eight equal pieces. Using your damp hands, roll one dough piece into ball and place on the empty half of the prepared sheet. Cover with a damp dishtowel. Repeat with remaining dough pieces.
Place open-cut bag marked side down on the counter. Place 1 ball in the center of the circle. Fold another side of the bag over the ball. Using a glass pie plate or 8-inch square baking dish, gently press dough to 4-inch diameter, using circle drawn on the bag as a guide. Turn out the disk into your palm and place one ball filling in the center. Bring sides of dough up around the filling and pinch the top to seal. Remoisten your hands and roll ball until smooth, smoothing any cracks with your damp fingertip. Return ball to bag and slowly press to 4-inch diameter. Pinch closed any small cracks that form at edges. Return pupusa to sheet and cover with a damp dishtowel repeat with remaining dough and filling.
Heat remaining one teaspoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels. Carefully lay four pupusas in a skillet and cook until spotty brown on both sides, 2 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter and repeat with the remainings four pupusas. Serve warm with salsa and curtido.
To make Ahead: At the end of step 5, wrap the baking sheet in plastic wrap and freeze until pupusas are solid. Wrap pupusas individually in plastic, then transfer pupusas to the zipper-lock bag. Freeze for up to 1 month. Cook directly from frozen, increasing cooking time by 1 minute per side.
GATHER YOUR INGREDIENTS
2 cups (8 ounces) masa harina
½ teaspoon table salt, divided
2 cups boiling water, plus extra water as needed
2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed
5 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (1¼ cups)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon table salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper