By: La Voz Staff
During the holidays, many Latino families stick with traditional tamales, enchiladas, biscochitos, posole and more. New Mexicans and southern Colorado families like their red chile with pork, green chile with pork to smother their tamales and enter the favorite sopaipillas.
Sopaipillas are a family favorite and can be eaten with your New Mexican meals or as a des- sert with honey. You can also stuff these sopaipillas with your choice of meat (hamburger, shredded beef, pork), beans and cheese, smothered with green or red chile or both affectionately known as (Christmas) in New Mexico.
These puffy delights are a comfort food that become addictive after the first one.
Below is a recipe for sopaipillas. Enjoy with your holiday meals! Buen Provecho!
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable shortening
- 3/4 cup of warm water
- 2 cups of oil for frying
Preparation
In a bowl sift the baking powder, flour and salt. Add the shortening. Slowly add the water until the dough is moldable. Divide the dough into 5 pieces, spread each piece of dough on a lightly floured surface until it forms a circle (like a tortilla) and cut into 4 pieces.
Heat the oil in a deep saucepan. When the oil is very hot, add the cut pieces and fry on both sides until they brown evenly.
Drain them on paper towels. Serve alone, with honey, or stuff with red or green chile and beans topped with cheese.
Sopaipillas have been a staple in homes across Colorado and Northern New Mexico for years around the holidays and beyond.
The history behind these delightful pillows of fried dough comes from Spanish Moor settlers. The Spaniards version at the time were called “sopaipa” a Spanish word that came from the Mozarabic language which means bread soaked in oil.
It is believed that the sopaipillas of today are desendants of early Sopaipa’s brought to the Southwest sometime in the late 1500’s. Sopaipillas were so popular in the Southwest at the time that the indigenous Native Americans of the region accepted them into their culture and the start of Native American Fry Bread was born.
So the next time you sink your teeth into a fluffy golden pillow, know that it’s history’s roots re deep in New Mexican culture.
