Sopes are small corn shells made of masa harina and water, then cooked on a griddle and used as a base for different toppings. From meat to beans, to vegetables and savory salsas.
Add masa harina and salt in a bowl and pour the water while combining everything with your hands.
Knead until a soft dough forms, this dough should have the texture of play dough, so if it stick to your hands add a little bit more flour. If it feels too crumbly, add more water.
Shape by hand
Slightly moisten your hands with water. Take a portion of the dough and roll it into a ball. Flatten the ball to make a patty.
Pass the dough from one hand to the other quickly while slapping it to flatten it until you have a disc about 3.5 inches (9cm) in circumference and 1/4 inch (0,65cm) thick.
With a tortilla press
Place the dough ball between two sheets of plastic and gently press to form a thick disc.
With a heavy dish
Use a heavy dish (a pie or casserole dish will do the trick) to slightly press the dough to make a thick tortilla.
Cook
Heat a griddle or a comal over medium-high heat. Place a sope on the hot griddle and cook for 1 minute, then flip it and cook for another minute or until dark spots appear.
Make the border
Remove a sope from the hot griddle and place it between a clean cloth napkin or paper towel.
Press gently, pinching between the thumb, index, and middle fingers to form a border of about half an inch (1.5cm).
As you finish each piece, place them onto a clean kitchen towel and let them cool completely.
Notes
Keep a small bowl of water next to your working area and use it to keep your hands and dough moistened.
The sope has to be hot to be able to make the border. So the best thing you can do is cook them in small batches. Ideally, two or three pieces.
The temperature is important because if it is too low the dough will need more time to cook and the shells will become dry on the pan.
On the other hand, if the temperature it’s too high, the sope will burn quickly on the surface but it will remain raw on the inside.