SOPAS

Sopas may be filled and served as an appetizer

or drizzled with honey and sprinkled with icing sugar for a dessert
The dough can be made in a bread maker


1 pkg Active Dry Yeast
¼ cup Lukewarm Water
1-1/2 cups Milk
3 Tbsp Lard or Shortening
1 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Sugar
1 cup whole Wheat Flour
About 4 cups All Purpose Flour

Cooking Oil

In large bowl, stir yeast into warm water and let stand until softened (about 5 minutes)

In 1-1/2 to 2 quart pan, combine milk, lard, salt and sugar, heat over low heat to 110 deg F and stir into yeast mixture. Beat in whole-wheat flour and 3 cups of the all purpose flour until dough is stretchy. Kneed on a lightly floured board until dough is smooth and satiny, adding more all-purpose flour as needed. Place in a greased bowl, and turn to grease top. Cover and let rise at room temperature until doubled in bulk (about ½ hour).

Punch dough down, and knead briefly. On a lightly floured board, roll dough, a quarter at a time, into rectangles about 1/8” thick. Cut each rectangle into 6 equal pieces, place in lightly floured pans and cover with plastic wrap.

Pour oil to depth of 2” into a deep 3-4 quart pan and heat to 350’ F. Add dough, 2 or 3 pieces at a time. Cook, turning and gently pushing bubbly portion into hot oil to help sopa’s puff evenly, until golden brown (1-2 minutes) Drain on paper towels.

Meat Filling for Sopas..or you can fill with refried beans...my favorite is the meat filling

1 lb cooked ground beef or pork
1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, chopped and seeded
1 clove garlic minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 med onion, chopped
1 cup shredded sharp cheese

Brown pork, add pepper, garlic, salt and pepper, add onion and cook till soft. Add cheese. Let cool.

Slit sopa’s along one side with sharp knife and fill with either meat filling or refried beans.

To serve put filled sopas on baking sheet. Spread some tortilla or hot sauce on each sopa and sprinkle on some grated cheddar cheese.

Heat 15 minutes in 350 deg oven or until cheese is melted. Serve with lettuce and tomato wedges.