Inspiration for my culinary articles can come from the simplest of places: a novel, television show, movie, anime series, manga series, even commercial ads while playing a game on a cellphone. Recently, an ad for “Get Your Guide” popped up and it was about Mexico. Set the scene: Woman on an elevator is using her cellphone to book activities for her Mexican vacation. She is suddenly pushed out of the elevator onto a hot air balloon ride, but then falls through the bottom to land upon a seat at an outdoor café. She picks up a sandwich…wait, a what? Oh, but then a Lucha Libre wrestler picks her up, and while being spun around on his shoulders, begins to eat her sandwich. Wait, what, a sandwich?
Now hubby and I have been to many a small, and large, Mexican restaurant, and not once have sandwiches been a featured special, nor listed on the menu at all. I have several Mexican cookbooks and, you guessed it, no mention of sandwiches. Alright Google, do your thing! Surprise, surprise, yes, sandwiches are common place, and depending on the region, there are specialty varieties.
The Spanish for the word sandwich is torta with the simple definition of, “a sandwich made with a crusty bread roll, served hot or cold”. However, there is a slang meaning for this word as well, “an overweight Mexican woman”. So, let’s combine both definitions to get the full meaning of torta, “an overweight aka fat sandwich which can be served hot or cold”. This way, no one gets offended, right? When I begin explaining the different types of ingredients that go into the sandwiches, the term overweight aka fat will have more clarity. We had loads of fun creating different sandwiches, and feeling like the slang of torta ourselves.
First off, let’s go into the basic ingredients.
What kind of breads are used for tortas? The two most common breads used for Mexican tortas are telera and bolillo.
Telera is a soft, round roll with a slightly flattened shape and a crusty exterior that is not too hard. It's a good choice for holding the fillings of a torta without being too difficult to bite through. Bolillo is an oblong, torpedo-shaped roll with pinched ends, also with a crusty exterior and soft, chewy interior. It is similar to a baguette as it is longer in shape.
What kind of cold meats are used for tortas?
For a classic Mexican torta, common cold meats include ham (jamón), mortadella, and salt cod. Other options, especially for cold tortas, can include roast pork (pierna), turkey ham, or even deli ham. Since beef and chicken can be fried (milanesa) for hot sandwiches, sliced cold beef or chicken are options for cold sandwiches as well.
What kind of cheeses are used for tortas? Oaxaca cheese, Cotija cheese, Queso Fresco or Queso Panela.
Fresh cheeses like Queso Fresco are soft, moist, and crumble easily, while aged cheeses like Cotija are firm and crumbly. Panela is a smooth, salty cheese that can be fried without melting. Oaxaca is a string cheese that melts well, similar to, in taste and texture, Italian mozzarella.
What kind of vegetables are used for tortas?
Common vegetables used in Mexican tortas include lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, and jalapeños as well as shredded cabbage, radishes, and cilantro. For savory flavor, roasted vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, or bell peppers can be added.
When it comes to the cold style sandwich, it is basically anything goes, so long as there is plenty of it. Remember, for a torta, fat is where it’s at.
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| Open Face Cemita and Basic Cold Torta. |
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| A Look Inside the Basic Cold Torta. |
There are several types of hot sandwiches, a few specific to a region of Mexico.
Torta Ahogada: This regional specialty from Guadalajara is a torta soaked in a spicy red sauce made from chiles de arbol. It is typically made with pulled pork and various toppings, like pickled vegetables.
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| Torta Ahogada, but used Chicken Milanesa instead of pulled pork. |
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| A Look Inside a Torta Ahogada. |
Pambazo: A popular sandwich, especially in Mexico City, where the bread is dipped in a raw tomato–based guajillo salsa before being filled with ingredients like potatoes, chorizo, and lettuce.
Cemita: A sandwich from Puebla, often made with a sesame-seed roll made from a brioche-like dough and not toasted. Fillings are milanesa (see note), avocado, and cheese.
Molletes: Open-faced sandwiches featuring toasted bolillo rolls topped with refried beans and cheese.
Guajolota: A unique sandwich made with a tamal (singular for tamales) sandwiched between bolillo bread.
Torta Cubana: A Mexican version of the Cuban sandwich, featuring various meats like ham, milanesa, and chorizo.
Note: What is Milanesa?
Milanesa is a popular Latin American dish that's essentially a breaded and fried meat cutlet. It's a variation of the Italian Cotoletta alla Milanese, Austrian Wiener Schnitzel or Japanese Katsu, with the core ingredient being thin slices of meat, typically beef or chicken, that are breaded, pan-fried, and served hot.
With all this information on Mexican sandwiches, next time a restaurant is visited, perhaps ask if one can be made for you. I certainly intend to, just to see the reaction.
Mary Cokenour
