Papooses for baby chorizos

2 cups Masa harina (sold in the ethnic food isle of most grocery stores; look for a white flour-style bag with green lettering that says Maseca) 1 cup warm water 1½ cups Filling (see variations)

1. In a large bowl, mix together the masa harina and water and knead well. Knead in more water, one tablespoonful at a time, if needed to make a moist, yet firm dough. (It should not crack at the edges when you press down on it.) Cover and set aside to rest 5-10 minutes.

2. Make a ball about the size of a squash ball (smaller than a baseball) with the masa.

3. Use your thumb to make a small bowl out of the ball. Make sure the dough is spread evenly throughout and does not exceed 1 cm in thickness at any point.

4. Put a generous 1 tablespoon of desired filling into each “masa bowl” and fold the dough over to completely enclose it in the ball.

5. Carefully press the ball out with your palms (it helps to moisten them a little to prevent sticking) to form a fat tortilla-like disc (about 1 cm thick), taking care that that the filling doesn’t spill out and the edges don’t crack.

6. Heat an ungreased skillet over medium-high flame. Cook each pupusa for about 1-2 minutes on each side, until lightly browned and blistered. Remove to a plate and hold warm until all pupusas are done. Serve with curtido and salsa roja.

Variations • Pupusas de Frijol y Queso: Bean and cheese filling. Use grated quesillo, queso fresco, farmer’s cheese, mozzarella, Swiss cheese or a combination. Add some minced green chile if you like. Refried pinto beans from a work fine for the beans. Use a shallow tablespoon of each.

• Pupusas de Chicharrones: With a filling of fried chopped pork and a little tomato sauce. A reasonable approximation can be made by grinding 1 cup of cooked bacon with a little bit of tomato sauce in a food processor. • Pupusas Revueltas: Use a mixture of chicharrones, cheese and refried beans.

• Pupusas de Queso y Loroco: With a cheese and tropical vine flower filling. Loroco can be found in jars at many Latin markets.