Sopes or Sopecitos (small sopes) are a traditional Mexican dish that originated in Southern Mexico, but has since spread to all areas of the country, although differences do exist regionally.
I like to think of these as the “sliders” of Mexican cuisine. Although these are filled with refried black beans, cheese, lettuce, pico and salsa, you can literally fill them with anything. Make a sample platter of different sopes for a fun Cinco de Mayo party appetizer course. You could even make bite-size sopecitos and serve them as an hors d’oeuvres.
Make sure that you buy the correct corn flour, as there are several different types. The one that I used for this recipe is the “Masa Brosa” brand. On the bag, it states that it can be used for tortillas, pupusas, gorditas, tamales and atoles. This flour has gone through a process known as “nixtamalization,” which means that the corn has been soaked (usually) in lime water and then dried. I won’t bore you with the process, but if there are any food scientists, or chemistry enthusiasts reading this, here is a link! I follow the instructions on the bag for making the masa (dough), however, I always like to add a bit of salt, as I enjoy the flavor more.
Sopecitos
Makes 1 dozen
2 Cups, Instant Corn Masa
1 tsp., Kosher Salt
1⅛ Cups, Water
2 Cups, Refried Black Beans (See Recipe in This Blog)
2 Cups, Quesadilla Cheese, Shredded
2 Cups, Red Leaf Lettuce, Shredded
1 Cup, Pico de Gallo (See Recipe in This Blog)
Serve With Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa (See Recipe in This Blog)
Method:
- In a bowl, combine the masa and salt, add the water
- Mix with hands into a dough ball
- Cover with plastic, and allow to rest for 30 minutes
- Preheat fryer to 350℉
- Take a piece of dough about the size of a golf ball
- Place it between 2 pieces of plastic (Ziplock bags work great for this)
- Roll the dough to about ⅜” thick
- Take a 3½” round cutter, and cut a disk (you can reuse the extra dough around the outside)
- Fry the disk for about a minute in the hot oil, remove, drain on paper towel, and allow to cool
- Pinch the edge of the disk to form a “lip” around the edge of the Sopecito
- Fry again until crispy on the outside, drain on paper towel
- Repeat with the rest of the dough
- Divide the hot refried black beans among the shells
- Divide the remaining ingredients among the shells