Hopia with sweet white onion filling

Hopia | Hopiang Sibuyas | Ping Pia
A crusty treat filled with sweet white onion paste. Unusual flavor for a pastry snack but has an interestingly addicting taste.
I was chatting with my mom the other day and reminiscing childhood when suddenly a pang of
craving bit me. I remember being fond of a treat I use to have when I was little. It's more of a bread-like cookie slices filled with a sweet onion-y paste. I asked my mom what that was, she responded by saying it was hopia. I insisted that it wasn't, I know hopia and it's not what I was referring to. Our conversation went on until I found out that she even asked my dad what it was called. Being a little spoiled (and probably because they missed me too) my dad said that they would look for it the next day on local bakeries to ask for it's name so I can remake it. Talk about supportive (YAAAY!!) We got used to it that way, it's our routine I guess. Whenever I (or they) crave for something, my parents would definitely come home bringing some of those treats. That night I set to work (I intend to do only the filling as I have no idea how to make the cookie-bread), I have a vague idea of how the filling is made and successfully made it from scratch. Being proud of myself, I ran back upstairs and let my husband taste it. Surprisingly, it brought him to the moment when it used to be his and his Kongkong's(Grandfather in Chinese. Hubby is half Malaysian half Chinese) favorite. He called it Ping Pia, and described it as how we would describe Hopia in the Philippines. He said his Kongkong would frequently buy them those treats when he was little. Having heared of that, I made up my mind to just make the Hopia version instead. Here's the recipe. don't be afraid, it doesn't bite. :)

Here's some helpful illustrations ♥

The water dough flatten out with oil dough, spread.

Rolling the combined dough into a log.

Dividing the dough

Flattening the dough. Note the beautiful layers we created. This makes the crust flaky

In goes the sweet white onion filling :)

Baby your filling and wrap it nicely.

No hopia molder? no problem. Cut out an old baking soda container and use as shown

Use a pestle to shape the hopia inside the mold. My mother in law called it creative. Indeed necessity is the mother of invention. LOL

Hopia with Sweet White Onion Filling

By Claire A. Suarez
A crusty skin treat filled with sweet white onion paste. Unusual flavor for a pastry snack but has an interestingly addicting taste.

Prep time: 01:00, Cook time: 00:35, Total time: 01:35
Yield: 24 pieces, serves 8

Ingredients:
Sweet White Onion FIlling
1/2 cup of oil
1 cup of finely chopped white onions
1/2 tsp of salt
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cup of flour
Water Dough
1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
60ml vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons sugar
100ml water
Oil Dough
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
100g butter or oil
Instructions: Prepare the filling

In a pot, saute onions in oil on medium heat until transparent and fragrant.

Add sugar, salt, vanilla extract and milk. Stir until sugar is dissolved.

Mix in flour and cook until mixture come together and form into a paste-like consistency.

Set aside to cool.

Prepare the hopia

Preheat oven to 375°F or 190°C

Mix all the ingredients for the water dough and knead until smooth.

Mix all the ingredients for the oil dough and knead until smooth.

In a lightly floured surface, roll out and flatten the dough into a rectangular shape.

Spread bits of the oil dough evenly on top of the water dough and press lightly.

Roll the combined dough into a log and divide evenly into 24 equal pieces.

Divide and shape the onion filling into 24 equal round pieces.

Flatten each piece of dough, place the onion filling ball in the middle and wrap. Repeat for remaining pieces of filling and dough.

Mold hopia into desired shape.

Bake for 35-40mins at 375°F or 190°C

Serve and enjoy! :)

Calories per serving: 718kcl
Fat per serving: 31.8g