Get the story behind Pappasito’s signature salsa and make it yourself

A: Atlanta fans of Pappasito's distinctive Tex-Mex cuisine were fortunate that the Pappas family of Houston picked Atlanta as the site of the first and only Pappasito's outside Texas.

The popular warm salsa was not the original salsa on the menu. Not long after the first Pappasito’s opened, one of the cooks was making the salsa when he was interrupted by a phone call that tied him up for quite some time. While he was on the phone, he left the tomatoes and jalapenos roasting on the stove too long and they began to char. Reluctant to tell the manager that he had ruined the salsa, the chef quietly finished the recipe. That night the charred version got raves from the customers. The next day, the chef made the salsa as usual and there were no customer comments at all. Curious, he decided to char the salsa again and again came the raves. The chef came clean about the “telephona salsa” and the recipe was changed to include the charring that provides the distinctive taste, according to Mary Margaret Dent with Pappasito’s in Houston.

Pappasito’s Salsa

3 pounds ripe red tomatoes

2 fresh jalapenos, or more to taste

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons bottled chopped garlic

1 teaspoon black pepper

Roast tomatoes in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until they are soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the tomatoes to a bowl. Blister the jalapenos in the skillet. Let cool slightly, then remove skins and seeds. Add to bowl. Add onion, cilantro, salt, garlic and pepper to bowl. Toss to combine. Put half the mixture in a blender container or bowl of food processor. Pulse until desired consistency. Repeat with remaining mixture. Makes: 6 cups

Per 1/4-cup serving: 14 calories, 1 gram protein, less than 1 gram fat (percent calories from fat, 11), 3 grams carbohydrates, no cholesterol, 301 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.