Acorn Squash Pupusas

I feel in love with pupusas on my first trip to El Salvador.  Those tasty cheesy corn cakes topped with that tart slaw was unlike anything else I've ever had!  I looked forward to my trip there to eat more and got excited to find a Salvadorian restaurant that would serve 'em. 
Now I am dealing with an abundance of squash in the garden so I scanned my cookbooks for squash recipes and was thrilled to come across this.  These little guys were easy to make.  I shredded a block of smoked mozzarella one day, roasted a big batch of squash another day and whipped this up another time.  I topped mine with sour cream and salsa! 
​The leftovers were good as well.  I did some topped with egg, another with vegan crumbles.  They are a great vehicle for many toppings that kicked up the leftover game!

---

Reina's Pupusa's
​Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons

1 acorn squash
2 1/4 cups masa harina
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 ounces smoked cheese (jack, cheddar, gouda, mozzarella)
1 cup water, room temperature
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons sour cream
hot sauce

​1. Preheat the oven to 400.  Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and spoon out the seeds.  Put the squash halves cut side down into a casserole dish, and bake them 40-50 minutes, until they are tender.  Let them cool.  Spoon out the flesh, and put it into a large bowl.
2. Add the masa harina to the bowl of squash.  Mix in the salt and pepper.  Add the cheese, and mix well again.  Add the water, and mix with one hand until the dough is smooth.
3. On a lightly floured surface, for a 3" wide patty from a large spoonful of masa dough.  Form seven more patties from the remaining dough.  They will be rather soft and fragile.
4. Place a large skillet over medium heat.  When it is very hot, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.  Fry four of the pupusas for about 5 minutes per side, until they form a golden crust on both sides.  Transfer them to a plate, and keep them warm in a slow oven. Heat the skillet again, add the remaining olive oil and fry the four remaining pupusas in the same manner.  Serve the pupusas with dollops of sour cream, if you like and pass the hot sauce around the table.