Zucchini Pupusas and Salsa Roja

Cooking with Jane, Recipes, , , , , , ,

It’s been far too long since we did a food pocket on this blog. I don’t know what’s wrong with us. No excuses, but many apologies! Let’s get to solving this.

These cute lil pockets have an equally cute ability to stash away some zucchini and cheese, and be dunked in deliciously simple and spicy salsa roja. The whole to do can come together quickly and makes for easy lunch snacks or freezer stashers. If you have some cabbage and carrots (we know you have carrots this week!) you can add the classic curtido topping, a kind of simple slaw that adds an acid element we didn’t have the spoons to get to tonight. Let us know what you think!

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Zucchini Pupusas, Salsa Roja, and Curtido

Ingredients

FOR THE CURTIDO

  • 1/2 head cabbage cored and shredded
  • 2 whole carrots grated
  • 1 whole jalapeno pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 1 whole onion thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon coriander
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water

FOR THE SALSA ROJA

  • 2-3 whole tomatoes quartered
  • 1 whole jalapeno seeded and quartered
  • 1 whole onion quartered
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed fresh garlic

FOR THE DOUGH:

  • 3 cups masa harina
  • 1 cup warm water plus additional as needed (you will need PLENTY additional, but it will really depend on humidity levels and your particular masa and all kinds of things)
  • Pinch of salt

FOR THE FILLING:

  • 2 zucchinis grated and salted
  • chunk of mozzarella grated

Instructions

  1. MAKE THE CURTIDO: It really needs to sit at least overnight, so prepare that first. Toss the shredded cabbage, carrots, jalapeño, salt, oregano and coriander together well in a large, glass bowl that has a sealable lid. Pour the apple cider vinegar and warm water over it and give it all another thorough toss. Seal the bowl with the lid and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight to meld together.
  2. MAKE THE SALSA ROJA: This can also be done either the day before or the day of making the pupusas. Combine the tomato, jalapeño, onion, salt, garlic powder and water in a large blender. Blend it until it is smooth and liquified. Then pour it into a small pot and heat it up over medium high heat. Let it gently bubble for 5-10 minutes until it cooks through and turns into a gorgeous, thin red liquid. Seal it in a container and refrigerate it until you are ready to use it.
  3. MAKE THE DOUGH: In a large bowl, mix the masa harina, water and salt until combined. You may need to add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to get the dough to come together.
  4. Let stand for about 10 minutes while you prepare the zucchini.
  5. PREPARE THE ZUCCHINI: Grate the zucchini using the large holes on a grater. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and squeeze to remove excess water.
  6. Grate the cheese!
  7. FORM THE PUPUSAS: Wet your hands with a bit of water and/or oil to keep the dough from sticking.
  8. Make a ball of dough about the size of an ice-cream scoop and flatten it between the palms of your hands into a round that’s about 1⁄4 inch thick.
  9. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the zucchini filling to the center of the dough. Wrap the dough around the filling and then flatten it again between the palms of your hands, until it is about 1⁄4 inch thick and 4 inches across.
  10. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
  11. To cook, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook each pupusa until lightly browned, about 5 minutes per side. The ones we photographed were a little under for our tastes, so see if you can get a bit more colour than that on them, maybe more than 5.
  12. Serve with the salsa roja and curtido!