What is a pupusa? A tasty hot snack or main dish, basically using the ingredients of a tamale and the technique of a stuffed paratha. You can make all sorts of variations.
Start with fine masa, a bit of salt and oil, and just enough water to beat it into a stiff dough. Let stand for 10 minutes or more.
Assemble your filling. I was [still!] using up leftover roast goose, so I shredded it fine and mixed in jack and Parmesan cheeses. Basil-roasted chicken and feta was yummy too. You can use any cooked meat, any cheese, any herbs, most vegetables, I suppose even scrambled eggs. I tried a winter squash variant that I made sweet, but that was not so good as savory. It's a great way to use up bits of leftovers. You can even have a pupusa bar where people get to pick their fillings from an array of choices. We did that at my daughter’s house while I was there.
Oil your non-dominant hand well. Repeat as needed if dough starts to stick.
Put a blob of masa dough into it
and form it into a cup.
Put a good pinch of your filling in the cup.
Fold the edges over so the filling is covered. Smooth and press flat.
Fry in any oil or fat, until golden on both sides.
Drain on paper towels and serve hot. Leftovers can be reheated in a toaster oven or refried briefly, I don’t care for the microwave results myself, but YMMV.
Make plenty, these things can be addictive!
So, what’s for dinner at your place?