El Salvador

EL SALVADOR: Roasted Strawberry Pupusas with Mint Sugar and Sweet Crema

Thank you to Darcy for suggesting these beauties. Very special.

Up next is England and after a last-minute chat with my sister Kate, I’m tossing the trifle and going for a Treacle Tart. Can’t flipping wait…

INGREDIENTS:

For the Pupusas:
2 Cups Masa flour
1 1/3 Cups Water
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon White Sugar
Pinch of Salt
Combine all of the ingredients by hand in a medium bowl and let sit for 20 minutes.

For the Roasted Strawberries:
2 Pints Strawberries
1/8 Cup of Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. While the oven is preheating, combine the ingredients in a medium bowl, then spread the strawberries out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes.
After roasting all the berries, allow to cool to at least room temperature.

For the Mint Sugar:
5-10 Fresh Mint Leaves
5 teaspoons Sugar
1. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the mint and sugar together until they are one.

For the Sweet Crema:
1/2 Cup Salvadorian Crema
1 Tablespoon Confectioner’s Sugar
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Whisk together the ingredients in a small bowl until combined. Add more sugar to your liking.

Additional Ingredients You’ll Need:
Queso Fresco
1 Pint Fresh Strawberries, diced
Coconut Oil for frying

DIRECTIONS:

Using a standard size ice cream scoop, scoop out the dough and flatten with a rolling pin into a circle or use a tortilla press. Place a tablespoon of the strawberries in the middle, along with a slice of queso fresco, and a dusting of the mint sugar. Take another scoop of dough, flatten again, and place on top (kind of like a tortilla sandwich), then seal the edges. Repeat until you run out of dough.

Heat a cast iron skillet or frying pan on medium heat and add enough coconut oil, so that the pan is generously covered, but still shallow enough that your pupusa won’t be drowning.

Fry each pupusa individually in the oil, about four minutes per side (they’ll be golden brown). Place them on a cooling rack or paper towel to cool.

Serve the finished pupusa with a sprinkling of the mint sugar, diced strawberries, and the sweet crema.