they are tricky to make. if you can watch someone that knows. my first batches were awful too. try this: your hands must be oily when you make the patties. have a bowl of vegetable oil & dip your fingers & spread over your palms. you must also oil the grill/pan were you are going to cook them. your filling must be room temperature & not cold. filling must be minced or chopped very small. you must put alot of filling, like maybe half a cup. the dough must be very soft so it takes no effort to shape the pupusas/papusas. the ratio of cornmeal to water is one to one. yes it seems like alot of water but that is one of the tricks, you might even need more water. let the dough rest for a few minutes before working with it. follow the recipe on this website plus my suggestions & it should work. I was luck to watch someone make them & even then they did not come out good the first time.