Before The Homesick Texan Cookbook Spotlight & Cook-off, I had heard of Sopapillas, but I had no idea what they were.
I wasn't sure if Sopapillas referred to some kind of Sopa (soup) like Sopa de Fideo. Or if it was more like a Papilla, a fruit/veggie puree or baby food.
Turns out I was wrong on both counts.
Thanks to this Cook-off and a post by my friend, Girlichef, I learned that Sopapillas are actually fried pieces of
Absolutely heavenly!
Perfect for dessert, a late-night snack or Sunday breakfast!
Sopapillas
(from The Homesick Texan Cookbook
by Lisa Fain)Ingredients:
- 1 envelope instant or quick active dry yeast
- 1-1/2 cups warm water
- 4 cups flour (plus extra for kneading)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt (I have no idea if mine is Kosher!)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- Honey (for dipping)
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the yeast and water. Let set for about 5 minutes until yeast dissolves and starts to look creamy.
Combine the flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Add the flour to the yeast mixture along with the melted butter. Mix until well combined.
Turn dough out onto a generously floured surface. Knead the dough until its smooth and elastic.
Place the dough inside a greased bowl. Turn greased side up and cover. Let the dough proof (rise) for 1 hour or until double in size.
Punch down dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll or pat the dough into a 12 x 9-inch rectangle.
Cut the dough into 12 equal squares. Cut each square in half diagonally. (You should have 24 triangles.)
Heat the 2 cups of vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully drop 3 to 4 triangles of dough at a time into the hot oil and let fry for 45 seconds to 1 minute per side or until golden brown. Remove the sopapillas to a heatproof plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil.
In a medium bowl, combine the 1 cup of sugar with the ground cinnamon. Dip the warm sopapillas in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, making sure both sides are evenly coated.
Serve with honey for dipping and/or a steaming mug of Mexican Hot Chocolate. Enjoy!!!
