Recipe: Hopia

This version of hopia comes from Philippine Cooking in America by Marilyn Ranada Donato. There are no onions, but no doubt every Filipino chef has his own spin on this dish.

Hopia

Filling:
1 cup peeled, split mung beans
3 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp. margarine

Pastry:
1 cup boiling water
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup lard or shortening (e.g., Crisco)

Prepare filling by simmering in a covered pot, beans, water, and sugar until beans are very soft, about 45 minutes. Watch that the pot doesn't boil over. During last 15 minutes, stir frequently, mashing beans. Add margarine when mixture is thick and paste-like. Cool. Shape into 2-inch diameter patties. Set aside.

Pastry:
In boiling water, mix 1 1/2 cups flour. Stir into a dough ball. Set aside, cool. Mix lard with remaining 1-1/2 cups flour until well blended. Knead together with flour-water dough. Flour hands if dough is sticky.

Divide into 20 pieces. Using your hands, flatten each piece into a 3-inch diameter round, 1/8-inch thick. Place filling pattie in the middle of each round pastry, bring pastry edges together covering patties. Smooth out surface.

Place hopia in greased cookie sheet, bake at 350 degrees F. for 10 minutes, turn hopia, bake another 10 minutes.

Yields: 20 hopia

Note: Peeled, split mung beans can be purchased at Asian stores. Red kidney beans or black beans sold in health stores can also be used. Soften in water, soaked overnight.