We enjoyed some homemade sopapillas during this past Hannukah. If you are not familiar with them, sopapillas (pronounced sew-pu-pee-uz) are yummy New Mexican fry bread. They taste scrumptious drizzled with honey or stuffed with pinto beans and fixin’s. My New Mexican raised Hubby introduced me to them.
I have two recipes for sopapillas – a yeast recipe and a baking powder one. I tend to use the baking powder one when I make them just because it makes up a lot quicker.
Baking Powder Sopapillas Recipe
- 3 cups flour
- 2 t. baking powder
- 1 t. salt
- 4-6 T. butter, cold (original recipe called for lard or shortening)
- 1 1/4 cup warm milk
- oil (for frying)
- In a large bowl combine dry ingredients. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender til the mixture is like crumbs. Add the warm milk all at once, stirring with a fork to combine.
- Turn mixed dough onto a smooth lightly floured surface. Knead the dough (fold in half, push down, fold again). A dozen folds should make it a soft dough that is no longer sticky.
- Cover the kneaded dough and let rest 10-15 minutes.
- Divide dough in half. Cover one half with a damp dish towel to keep it from drying out while you work with the other half. Roll gently to 1/8 inch. Cut into square or triangle shapes. Do not re-roll!
- Fry 2 minutes per side (they should puff up like little pillows). Remove from hot oil and drain on paper towels. Eat warm with honey or stuffed with a filling of your choice.
- Enjoy!
