Tortas
A torta is a traditional Mexican sandwich. It's filled with savory meat and served on a soft roll. Add sauce and toppings (avocado, salsa, lettuce) to make it extra special. This recipe is for the soft roll needed to serve the torta, and a savory filling.Miguel makes tortas for himself and Ivy at Baptista’s Cantina and Grill in Crust No One, the second Bread Shop Mystery. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Dough
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon lard or shortening
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
Glaze
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Filling
- Sliced onion
- Sliced tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons guacamole or several slices of avocado
- 3 tablespoons refried beans optional
- ¼ cup shredded lettuce
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons Mayonaise
- Chopped cilantro
- 2 slices cheese optional
- Meat of choice
Instructions
Dough
- In a large bowl or the pan of your bread machine set on the dough cycle, combine the yeast, water, honey, melted fat, salt, and 3 1/2 cups of the flour. Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Check the doughs consistency; if the dough sticks to your finger when you touch it lightly, add 1/4 cup of the additional flour and mix for another minute. Check the dough again, adding the remaining 1/4 cup of flour only if you need it; the dough should be soft, but not sticky.
- Knead for 6 to 8 minutes at medium speed in a stand mixer, or 10 minutes by hand, until it’s smooth and bouncy.
- Cover the bowl and let rise for 1 hour, until doubled, or let the bread machine complete its cycle.
- Once the dough has risen, deflate it and divide into 10 pieces, roll into balls, and cover the pieces.
- Let them rest for 5 minutes before shaping the rolls into a football shape, tapering toward the edges; the rolls should be 5 1/2″ long and 2″ around at the center.
- Place the rolls onto a greased or parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with greased plastic. Allow the rolls to rise while turning the oven on and preheating to 400°F
- When the rolls are almost doubled in size, brush the tops and sides with egg wash. Using a greased knife, slash the rolls twice parallel to each other. Press down firmly with each slice.
- Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until golden brown and the centers read 190°F with an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the oven and cool completely before slicing.
Fillings
- Pick and choose the fillings you want to make your torta your own!
- Spread mayo and avocado on roll (sliced lengthwise)
- Fill with meat of choice (carne asada, shredded pork, or even slices of ham)
- Top with lettuce, tomatoes, onion, cheese, and whatever else you want
- Enjoy!
Notes
