Sopapillas

Sopapillas

Sopapillas are a New Mexican food that is much like Fry Bread. They are hollow because they puff up when fried. Almost like a roll in other parts of the country, they are served as such. They are served with meals, sometimes they are stuffed with taco meat, beans, etc. For a sweet treat they can be drizzled with honey. You can fill them with ice cream and top with chocolate sauce.
I spell sopapilla with out the "i" after the first a, that's just how I grew up seeing it spelled. Though I have seen it spelled sopaipillas. They are not strictly New Mexican, you find them in both Mexican and Spanish cuisines. But I grew up eating them in New Mexico.

Sopapilla dough

This dough comes together quickly, and there's no waiting for it to rise for a long time. The mixing and kneading is even easier when using a stand mixer, but there's no need for one. It's not hard to make this these sopapillas at all.

It takes very little time to cook these through. If they don't puff up adjust the temperature of the cooking oil. I find that squares or four sided shapes do better. Triangles seem to turn around after they puff and they keep spinning when you try to brown the opposite side.

Sopapillas

(Makes about 4 dozen)

2-14 teaspoons or one package active dry yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup warm water

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/4 cups scalded milk, cooled

1 tablespoon cold butter, lard, or shortening 

4 cups flour

Oil for frying 

1. Dissolve yeast in water with a pinch of sugar. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl and cut in shortening.
3. Make a well in center of dry ingredients. 
4. Stir milk into active yeast.
5. Add wet ingredients to the dry and work into a dough. I use my stand mixer with the dough hook to combine the ingredients.
6. Knead dough for 10 minutes, or until smooth; cover, and set aside for ten minutes whole you heat the oil up. I knead with my stand mixer for about 5 minutes until smooth.
7. Heat 2 inches of oil in a heavy pan at medium-high heat.
8. Roll dough to a 1/8 inch thickness on a lightly floured board. 
9. Cut dough into 4-inch squares and fry until golden on both sides, turning once. (If the shortening is sufficiently hot, the sopapillas will puff and become hollow shortly after being placed in the shortening.
10. Drain sopapillas on absorbent towels.

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