Sopes--Amelia age 7

Sopes.

Tomatoes.

Sopes with fillings. 

Finished Product. 

Amelia's Take:  Good and yummy.  A little hard to make.  Actually, a lot hard to make. 

Amy's Take:  Last month at the library I taught a class to children on how to make corn tortillas.  Because I am such an expert.  I bought a big bag (only size available) of Maseca Instand Corn Masa Flour.  We used four cups at the class and most of it was left.  On the side was a recipe for "Sopes Maseca."  I checked Maseca's website  and couldn't find this particular recipe.  I did find picture of their sopes--which are WAY more attractive than ours.  You should go and look at them so you know what they are supposed to look like.  Anyway, a sope seems to be a thick  corn tortilla that you turn the edges up on (when it is still way hot) and then fry to make a crispy crust.  This makes a cup for filling.  Ours had refried beans, shredded chicken, cheddar cheese, chopped tomatoes and lettuce.  We didn't use the anejo cheese or crema Mexicana that the recipe called for because this is still NO SHOPPING MONTH and we didn't happen to have those on hand.  Amelia helped me roll out the sopes and cut up the tomatoes.  And set the table.  And had a good conversation with me during which she finally decided to be happy about taking piano lessons this fall.  As in, she could say the word, Piano, without screaming.  And for the record, although I ate it for breakfast and lunch today, this meal did not contain zucchini.  I betcha you could do something with sopes and zucchini though.  YES, I just googled it and found this recipe for Zucchini Corn Sopes.  Now we know what we are eating tomorrow. 
 
Other opinions:
Molly:  They were really, really, really good and I want to try and make them some time.  I ate so many that I couldn't eat any ice cream for dessert. 

Sopes Maseca
2 cups instant corn masa flour
1 1/4 cups water (I felt like I needed more like 1 1/2 cups--but this is what Maseca says)
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups refried beans
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
3 ounces anejo cheese, crumbled (may substitute feta)
1 cup romaine lettuce, finely shredded
Red or green hot sauce
Crema Mexicana (or sour cream)
Oil for frying
Combine masa flour, water and salt.  mix thoroughly for about 2 minutes to form soft dough.  If dough feels dry, add more water (one tablespoon at a time).  Divide masa into 20 portions and roll into balls.  Cover with plastic wrap to prevent drying.  Preheat ungreased griddle to high temperature (450-475).  Place a ball between two sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap.  Roll out or flatten ball to form a 2 1/2 to 3 inch diameter circle, about 3/8" thick.  Cook sope for one minute on the preheated griddle.  Turn and cook on second side until lightly browned. 
Carefully remove from heat, on the first cooked side, pinch the edges to form a raised rim about 1/4 inch high.  Sopes will be hot!  Repeat with all remaining sopes.  Keep sopes covered with a cloth napkin. 
Heat 3/4 inch of oil in a frying pan to 360 and fry sopes until lightly golden.  Drain on paper towels.  Heat beans and spread on tablespoon on each sope.  Top with chicken, tomato, onion, cheese, lettuce and crema Mexicana.  Serve with your favorite hot sauce. 
Yield:  20 sopes