Pupusas

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Make the filling: In a medium skillet over medium heat, add the oil, jalapeño and a pinch of salt. Cook until jalapeño has slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Step 2

   Stir in the beans and a pinch of salt. Mash with a fork or potato masher until most of the beans are mashed but mixture is still chunky. Taste and season with salt, if necessary. Transfer mixture to a bowl and refrigerate until cool, 10 to 15 minutes. Once cool, remove from the fridge and stir in mozzarella until combined. Divide the mixture into 4 portions.

3. Step 3

   Make the dough: In a medium bowl, combine the masa harina, salt and ¾ cup warm water. Mix with straight, stiff fingers to form a dough. Using both hands, roll into a ball and return to the bowl. The dough should not be overly sticky, but also shouldn’t be so dry it crumbles. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes at room temperature.

4. Step 4

   Divide the masa into 4 portions and roll into balls. While working with one ball, keep the others covered so they don’t dry out. Using your thumb, create a divot in the middle of the ball. Continue pressing all around the divot to create a bowl shape large enough to hold 1 portion of the bean filling.

5. Step 5

   Add the bean filling to the masa and pinch around the edges until it’s closed. Roll again to make a uniform ball and place it on a piece of parchment paper. Using the palm and fingers of one hand, press the ball into a ½-inch-thick cake that is about 4½ inches in diameter. (Masa is very malleable, so pinch to close any cracks. It’s OK if some filling pokes through the surface of the corn cake.) Repeat with remaining portions of dough. If at any point the masa is cracking too much, moisten your hands with warm water and knead masa to reintroduce some moisture into the dough.

6. Step 6

   In a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Once the oil is hot, gently add the pupusa by putting it on your fingertips and placing it in the pan away from you like you are waving away a fly. Add a second pupusa to the pan and fry both until the sides touching the pan are crispy with splotches of darker spots, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the pupusas and cook until the second sides are also crispy, 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and season with salt. If there is any residue in the pan, wipe it out with a paper towel and start with fresh oil to cook the remaining pupusas. Serve warm with curtido or salsa alongside, if desired.