Sopapilla

A sopapilla is a kind of fried pastry or quick bread. Commonly sold as a dessert at restaurants that serve Mexican-style food in the United States, it is, however, unknown in Mexico itself, where the closest equivalent would be the buñuelo.

Sopapillas are made from a pressed dough, like a tortilla, made of flour, a chemical leavener, salt, and a solid fat. This dough is deep fried until "golden brown and delicious" (like a doughnut), causing the dough to puff and crisp, and creating a large air pocket in its center.

In Chile and Argentina, a sopaipilla is a tortilla made from wheat or corn flour and roasted in the ashes in a traditional adobe oven. In Chile, it is usually fried and made from pumpkin or squash based dough.

The sopaipilla is popular in the south of Chile and Argentina. It can be salty or sweet as a dessert, when after being roasted it is boiled in sweetened water with orange peel and cinnamon.