Recipe: Papusas with Cabbage Salad (Curtido)

Papusas with Cabbage Salad (Curtido)
Source: net.cooks (1985)

Papusas are a South American (not sure which country) appetizer consisting of a couple of fried crepe/tortillas with cheese (and/or refried beans, pork or chicken) fried in them. When they are served you also get some type of marinated cabbage that you are to stuff into the Papusa. I think I can recreate everything but the cabbage mixture. This things are fantastic. They are particularly good after you have downed a bunch of salsa and chips (and maybe even a little beer) and your taste buds are just about gone. The marinated cabbage in the Papusa tends to revitalize your tongue for the rest of the meal. - Tom Morrissey

Pupusas
From: Bubbette McLeod
Source: El Calderon, a Salvadorian restaurant in Mountain View. I recommend the restaurant to any one in the S.F. bay area. The prices are quite reasonable and it's an interesting branch of Mexican-type cooking.

3 cups masa harina (Quaker makes some)
1 cup cold water

Make into a moist dough, then pull off balls of about 2 tbls and use hand or the bottom of a plate to form into tortillas about 5 1/2 inches in diameter. Put on waxed paper (Should have 12)

1 lb. Monterey Jack cheese, grated
refried beans
pork paste (recipe follows)

Cover one tortilla with cheese and any combination of beans, pork, and bell pepper, chopped (i.e., pork and cheese or cheese and bean or all three). Put second tortilla over all and press to make a seal around edge. Rub an electric skillet (350 degrees) or heavy frying pan with small amount of vegetable oil. When water dripped on skillet sizzles, it's ready. Cook pupusas about 3 minutes on each side, until crip and browned. Serve hot with cabbage salad (curtido).

Pork Paste

1 lb. bacon, cooked until crisp, fat drained
1/4 tomato
1/4 bell pepper
1/4 onion
1 clove garlic

Put in blender until it turns to paste. Use a filling along with cheese and/or refried beans for pupusas.

Cabbage Salad (Curtido)

1/4 cabbage, shredded
1/2 onion, shredded
1/2 large carrot, shredded
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup cold water
salt to taste

Mix the day before you want to serve and let set in refrigerator, covered. Drain off excess water before serving. Open hot pupusas and put cabbage salad inside before eating. (In Salvador, they sometimes add hot red chilies to the mixture.)