Recipe: One night this week, instead of tacos, try molletes, Mexican toasted cheese sandwiches

Boston Globe

01-04-2025

Serves 4
These Mexican open-faced sandwiches on crusty bread, slathered with refried beans and topped with melted cheese and pico de gallo, make a nice change from tacos. In their country of origin, you might encounter molletes at street stalls or in cafeterias or cafes, made with rolls called bolillos. They have a crisp crust and soft interior similar in texture to a French baguette but they're shorter and oval-shaped. The sandwiches make a filling snack meant to be eaten at any time of day, even for breakfast. You can find fresh pico de gallo or salsa (diced tomatoes, onions, cilantro, jalapenos, lime juice, and salt) in containers in most supermarkets along with canned refried beans, but both are easy to make yourself and promise a bit more flavor if you do. Mash the beans in a skillet until creamy or puree them until coarse in a food processor. Oaxaca cheese has a similar texture to mozzarella, with the flavor of Monterey Jack. All three are interchangeable, but it's worth seeking out Oaxaca cheese for a change; a few local groceries that cater to Latino customers stock it. Eat these sandwiches straight from the oven while the cheese is hot and the bread is irresistibly crunchy. You can also cut them into smaller pieces for finger food. In either case you won't be able to stop snacking.
PICO DE GALLO 2 tablespoons finely chopped white onion
2 small jalapeno peppers or other small hot chile peppers, cored and finely chopped, or more to taste
3 tablespoons lime juice, or more to taste
1 pound (3 to 4) medium tomatoes, cored and chopped
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt, to taste
1. In a bowl, stir together the onion, jalapenos, and lime juice to blend them.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, cilantro, and a generous pinch of salt. Taste for seasoning and add more chopped chiles, lime juice, or salt, if you like.
MOLLETES 4 crusty rolls or 1 baguette, cut into 4 even pieces
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, with the liquid in the cans
¼ cup water
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ large white onion, finely chopped
½ teaspoon dried oregano
8 ounces Oaxaca, mozzarella, or Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated
1. Set an oven rack 4 inches from the broiler element. Turn on the broiler. Have on hand a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Slice each roll or baguette piece in half lengthwise. Pull off a little of the soft interior from the centers to make shallow wells. Lightly butter the halves and set them on the baking sheet, buttered side up.
3. Broil for 3 to 4 minutes, watching them carefully, or until lightly toasted. Set aside.
4. Turn the oven temperature down to 375 degrees.
5. In a food processor, pulse the beans with the liquid in the cans and the water until they form a coarse puree.
6. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes, or until it is deep golden and softened. Add the oregano and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
7. Stir in the beans, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. The beans should be soft, creamy, and scoopable.
8. Fill each bread cavity with about 1/3 cup of the beans. Top with 1/4 cup cheese. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese starts to bubble and the beans are hot. Top each mollete with pico de gallo. Serve at once.
Sally Pasley Vargas
Serves 4
These Mexican open-faced sandwiches on crusty bread, slathered with refried beans and topped with melted cheese and pico de gallo, make a nice change from tacos. In their country of origin, you might encounter molletes at street stalls or in cafeterias or cafes, made with rolls called bolillos. They have a crisp crust and soft interior similar in texture to a French baguette but they're shorter and oval-shaped. The sandwiches make a filling snack meant to be eaten at any time of day, even for breakfast. You can find fresh pico de gallo or salsa (diced tomatoes, onions, cilantro, jalapenos, lime juice, and salt) in containers in most supermarkets along with canned refried beans, but both are easy to make yourself and promise a bit more flavor if you do. Mash the beans in a skillet until creamy or puree them until coarse in a food processor. Oaxaca cheese has a similar texture to mozzarella, with the flavor of Monterey Jack. All three are interchangeable, but it's worth seeking out Oaxaca cheese for a change; a few local groceries that cater to Latino customers stock it. Eat these sandwiches straight from the oven while the cheese is hot and the bread is irresistibly crunchy. You can also cut them into smaller pieces for finger food. In either case you won't be able to stop snacking.
PICO DE GALLO
2 tablespoons finely chopped white onion 2 small jalapeno peppers or other small hot chile peppers, cored and finely chopped, or more to taste 3 tablespoons lime juice, or more to taste 1 pound (3 to 4) medium tomatoes, cored and chopped ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro Salt, to taste
1. In a bowl, stir together the onion, jalapenos, and lime juice to blend them.
2. Stir in the tomatoes, cilantro, and a generous pinch of salt. Taste for seasoning and add more chopped chiles, lime juice, or salt, if you like.
MOLLETES
4 crusty rolls or 1 baguette, cut into 4 even pieces 2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, with the liquid in the cans ¼ cup water 3 tablespoons olive oil ½ large white onion, finely chopped ½ teaspoon dried oregano 8 ounces Oaxaca, mozzarella, or Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated
1. Set an oven rack 4 inches from the broiler element. Turn on the broiler. Have on hand a rimmed baking sheet.
2. Slice each roll or baguette piece in half lengthwise. Pull off a little of the soft interior from the centers to make shallow wells. Lightly butter the halves and set them on the baking sheet, buttered side up.
3. Broil for 3 to 4 minutes, watching them carefully, or until lightly toasted. Set aside.
4. Turn the oven temperature down to 375 degrees.
5. In a food processor, pulse the beans with the liquid in the cans and the water until they form a coarse puree.
6. In a skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes, or until it is deep golden and softened. Add the oregano and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
7. Stir in the beans, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. The beans should be soft, creamy, and scoopable.
8. Fill each bread cavity with about 1/3 cup of the beans. Top with 1/4 cup cheese. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese starts to bubble and the beans are hot. Top each mollete with pico de gallo. Serve at once. Sally Pasley Vargas