Paper Palate

I have to admit that for many years I saw tortas (basically, a Mexican sandwich) on menus in Mexican restaurants, but never knew what they were. Going to college in San Diego meant many late night trips to 24-hour drive-thru Mexican restaurants (Santana’s just off the Sea World Drive exit on the 5 is my favorite), but I generally stuck with the familiar burritos, quesadillas, and chips with cheese and guac.

It’s good to know that on this one, I am not alone. According to the
Sacramento Bee: “Only 28 percent of Americans have heard of the sandwich and only 15 percent have tried them . . .” While you can purchase tortas from street-cart vendors on your next trip to Mexico, you may be surprised to also find them coming to a restaurant near you. Here’s a quick run down on the torta, so you are ready when you see them:

The key to the torta is the bread — usually a French-style baguette Mexicans call telera, or the crustier bolillo. Then it’s topped with anything and everything, such as shredded pork, breaded chicken, grilled steak, fried eggs, ham, pork shoulder or chorizo.

There is always avocado mashed with a fork onto the bread; pinto, black or refried beans smeared on the other side; spicy, pickled jalapeños; and sometimes mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato, onion, Mexican sour cream or cheese.

The bread can be toasted before the ingredients are piled on, or sometimes the torta is toasted after the sandwich is put together. In Mexico City, some vendors toast it at both stages, crisping the inside of the bread first, and then putting the entire sandwich on the grill under a heavy piece of metal to make the torta hold together and seal in the flavor, Hoyer [author of “Culinary Mexico: Authentic Recipes and Traditions] says.

You can learn about the history and development of the torta and find several torta recipes in the full article here (free subscription required).