Black Bean Sopes

Sopes
Combine the two cups of masa harina, salt, and water. Stir until mixture is smooth and slightly sticky. Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time, if needed. Dough should be soft like play-doh and not dry.

Divide masa mixture into 8-16 portions (depending on desired size). Cover with a damp cloth to keep the dough soft and moist. I like keeping mine in the same bowl I mixed the dough.

Line your sopes press or tortilla press with plastic wrap. Place each ball between the plastic wrap and press down to form a little 1/2” patty. Peel off the plastic wrap. If you don’t have a tortilla or sopes press you can use a heavy skillet or pot to make the dough circles. Or use your hands to form a patty.

Preheat an ungreased griddle or comal on medium-high heat. Cook each sope on the comal for about 2-4 minutes on each side until dry. Repeat with the remaining sopes.

To form the sopes you will need to work quickly while each sope is warm off the comal.

Take each sope and working from the center outward, pull the warm dough pinching up the edge of the round to make a ridge. You may need to dig into the dough because it has cooked a bit. You will do this all the way around until you create a little boat.

Set each one aside until you are ready to fill.


Roasting Chiles
Fire up a comal on the stovetop. Rinse the chile peppers thoroughly and pierce each chile with a knife. Place the chiles on the comal and let them roast evenly. You will have to keep an eye on them, making sure to turn them over until all sides are roasted. When done, the chile pepper skins should be evenly blistered and mostly black.

Place roasted peppers into a plastic bag and close the bag. Cover the plastic bag with a kitchen towel. The steam will help the blackened skin and chile to separate. When cool, rub off the blackened skin and discard the seeds and stems.

Slice the chile to desired length for filling your sopes.

Filling the Sopes
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fill each sope with beans and chile. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with queso fresco, cilantro, and garnish with avocado slices (optional).
If you prepare the sopes ahead of time, see the notes below for heating and filling your sopes.

To Make Ahead
Cook sopes as directed. Place cooled shells in a single layer in an airtight container, cover and seal. Sopes can be stored for one week in the fridge or in the freezer for one month.

Arrange premade or thawed shells in a single layer on a baking sheet; fill with warm beans and chile. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until warm. Sprinkle with queso fresco, cilantro, and garnish with avocado slices (optional).

Recipe by Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack, Veronica Gonzalez-Smith and Evangelina Soza of the Muy Bueno Cookbook blog, www.muybuenocookbook.com