A well-made ham torta makes a ham sandwich look puny. First, it’s the bread, the telera with its crustiness and soft crumb. And there are the bean spread and tangy crema, the avocado and tomato, the pickled chiles and the cheese–either crumbly fresh or gooey melted. There’s a lot going on here.
INGREDIENTS
- About ⅔ cup cooked beans (any color is welcome here) with enough liquid to cover, canned or home-cooked
- 1 or 2 tablespoons fresh-rendered pork lard , bacon drippings or vegetable oil
- Salt
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup Mexican crema , creme fraiche or sour cream
- 4 teleras , split in half around the equators, warmed to re-crisp
- 8 to 12 nice slices (10 to 12 ounces) ham–I like a good-quality smoky one
- 12 slices (8 to 10 ounces) Chihuahua or Mexican Manchego cheese (or other melting cheese like Jack, Colby or mild cheddar)
- OR 12 slices (8 to 10 ounces) Mexican queso fresco or queso panela
- 1 large ripe tomato, cored and sliced
- 1 large ripe avocado, cut in half, pit removed, flesh scooped from the skin and sliced
- 4 large pickled jalapeños, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced lengthwise
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the bean spread and tangy crema. Scoop the beans into a food processor or blender jar, followed by the lard, bacon drippings or oil. Blend to a smooth puree, adding a little water, if necessary, to keep the mixture moving through the blender blades. Scrape into a small bowl, taste and season with salt if necessary. In another small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and the crema (or one of its stand-ins).
Layer the Tortas. Smear a portion of the bean spread on the bottom of each telera. Over the beans lay 2 or 3 slices of ham followed by 2 or 3 slices of cheese. (Though not necessary, I highly recommend transferring the layered telera bottoms and tops to a baking sheet and heating them at 400 degrees until the bread is crisp and everything warm–especially welcome when using melting cheese). Continue building the tortas: top the cheese with tomato slices, then avocado, then chile slices. Smear a portion of the tangy crema on the cut-side of each telera top and set them in place. You’re ready for a very good torta.
