Sopes with Refried Beans and Papaya Slaw

Sopes, or originally called Gorditas, are a traditional mexican dish made of masa. Mine are first grilled, then fried to cook through and taste like thick tortillas. Fill them with anything you can imagine! My pinto bean filling soaks gently into the dough and holds perfectly in each vessel, keeping them moist.

Homemade sopes filled with pinto beans, fire roasted chilies and red onion topped with a fresh slaw of papaya, poblano, red cabbage and cilantro.

Sopes
makes 8-3" sopes
1 1/4 cup masa harina
1 cup water
1 tsp cumin
1 tbl vegetable shortening
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
canola oil for frying

Combine the masa, water, cumin, shortening, salt and baking powder into a smooth dough. Divide into 8 balls and flatten each into 3" circles, about 1/4" thin.
Preheat a grill pan. Fill a saute pan with oil 3/4" up the sides and bring to 350 degrees.
While the oil is heating, grill the sope discs on each side for 20 seconds. Remove from the grill.
Create walls with each disc, pushing dough from the center to the outside. Place back on the grill, flat side down and cook 1 minute more.
Once the oil is hot, cook the sopes, flat side up, for 1-2 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

Refried Filling
2 tbl canola oil
1/4 cup small dice red onion
3 oz fire roasted green chilies
1/2 tsp salt
1-15oz pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup fire roasted tomatoes
1 cup refried beans

In a small pot, saute the onion and chilies with salt for 7 minutes until they start to become tender. Add the whole pinto beans and tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the refried beans and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Papaya Slaw
1 cup red cabbage, core removed, thinly sliced
1/2 papaya, peeled, seeds removed, thinly sliced
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/2 poblano pepper, thinly sliced
3 tbl chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
juice from 1/2 lime
1/4 tsp sea salt

Combine all of the ingredients and let chill for 15-20 minutes to allow the vegetables to soften and marinate.