Tortas Ahogadas in Guadalajara

Ingredients

• 500 g Bread Flour (high‑protein bread flour for a chewy crumb)
• 7 g Active Dry Yeast (about 1 tsp, proofed in warm water)
• 10 g Salt (fine sea salt)
• 300 ml Water (lukewarm, adjust for humidity)
• 300 g Pinto Beans (dry beans, soaked overnight)
• 30 g Lard (rendered pork fat for refrying beans)
• 1 stalk Scallion (white part only, chopped)
• 2 leaves Avocado Leaves (optional, adds subtle flavor)
• 1 Bay Leaf (for beans and salsas)
• 1 Chile Guajillo (dried, seeded)
• 1 Chile Morita (dried, adds smoky heat)
• 800 g Pork Shoulder (trimmed, cut into 2‑inch cubes)
• 200 g Pig's Foot (cleaned, adds gelatinous richness)
• 5 g Black Pepper (freshly cracked)
• 500 ml Chicken Stock (low‑sodium)
• 1 Orange (zested and juiced)
• 1 Cinnamon Stick (whole)
• 500 g Ripe Tomatoes (peeled and quartered)
• 4 cloves Garlic (2 for tomato salsa, 2 for chile salsa)
• 2 tsp Dried Oregano (1 tsp each salsa)
• 20 g Chile de Árbol (about 10‑12 dried chiles, seeded)
• 0.5 tsp Ground Cumin
• 0.5 tsp Black Peppercorns (whole, for chile salsa)
• 0.5 White Onion (thinly sliced for topping)
• 1 Lime (cut into wedges for squeezing)

Instructions

1. Prepare Birote Dough

   In a mixing bowl combine bread flour, salt, and active dry yeast. Add lukewarm water and mix until a shaggy dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8‑10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

   Time: PT15M

2. First Rise

   Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

   Time: PT1H

3. Shape and Second Rise

   Punch down the dough, divide into two equal pieces, shape each into a round roll about 8‑inch long, place on a parchment‑lined baking sheet, cover, and let rest 30 minutes.

   Time: PT30M

4. Bake Birote Rolls

   Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the rolls for 30 minutes until golden brown and hollow‑sounding when tapped.

   Time: PT30M

   Temperature: 375°F

5. Soak and Cook Pinto Beans

   Rinse the soaked pinto beans, place in a large pot with fresh water, bay leaf, avocado leaves, chile guajillo, and chile morita. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 1 hour until beans are tender.

   Time: PT1H15M

6. Refry Beans

   Drain beans, reserving some cooking liquid. In a skillet melt lard, add chopped scallion, then stir‑in the beans. Mash while cooking, adding a splash of bean liquid as needed to reach a creamy consistency. Season with salt to taste.

   Time: PT15M

7. Prepare Carnitas

   Season pork shoulder and pig's foot with salt and pepper. In a large pot or Dutch oven, sear the meat on all sides over medium‑high heat until browned, about 10 minutes.

   Time: PT10M

8. Braise Carnitas

   Add chicken stock, orange juice and zest, and a cinnamon stick to the pot. Bring to a low simmer, cover, and braise for 2 hours until the meat is fork‑tender.

   Time: PT2H

9. Crisp Carnitas

   Remove meat, shred with two forks, and spread in a hot skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until edges are crisp and caramelized, about 15 minutes.

   Time: PT15M

10. Make Tomato Salsa

    Combine tomatoes, water, salt, garlic, and oregano in a pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until slightly chunky.

    Time: PT20M

11. Make Chile de Árbol Salsa

    In a blender combine seeded chile de árbol, garlic, oregano, cumin, peppercorns, bay leaf, and a splash of water. Blend until smooth; let sit 10 minutes for flavors to meld.

    Time: PT10M

12. Assemble Torta Ahogada

    Slice each birote roll horizontally. Spread a generous layer of refried beans on the bottom half. Top with a mound of crispy carnitas. Dip the entire sandwich quickly into the tomato salsa, then drizzle with chile de árbol salsa to taste. Finish with thin onion slices and a squeeze of lime.

    Time: PT10M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

800

Protein

45 g

Carbohydrates

80 g

Fat

30 g

Fiber

10 g