Grilled Veggie Torta

I love sandwiches in all forms! Hoagies, po-boys, heroes, reubens, clubs, grinders, paninis, burgers, wraps – the list goes on and on! But I recently discovered tortas, which I always thought of as a cake or pie more than a sandwich. Here’s my new take on the classic Mexican torta!

When a new sandwich shop opens in Sarasota, Laurie and I immediately start planning our visit – you can never have too many sandwich shops nearby! And the more ridiculous the sandwich the better! In fact, Laurie and my dad are soulmates when it comes to sandwiches. I remember watching my dad construct his sandwiches growing up – each layer was carefully built to maximize both height and messiness. I would be halfway done with my sandwich before he even sat down to start eating his – but he always created works of art that completely fell apart once he took the first bite. Laurie subscribes to my dad’s theory that the messier the sandwich, the better it is and I have become a convert to that approach!

But for me, size matters! And I think the best sandwiches are those that are so big and unwieldly you need to struggle to fit it into your mouth. As an example, Faicco’s Italian Hero’s and Grill was a fantastic sandwich joint in Sarasota that unfortunately closed last year. The original Faicco’s has been open for more than 120 years in Greenwich Village in NYC, and this was their first venture out of NYC since then. The sandwiches were absolutely gargantuan, just how I like them – check out this picture of the Mortadella Hero I ordered with hot coppa, mozzarella, arugula, and olive oil. Hungry yet??!!

Faicco's Mortadella Hero

Recently, Laurie mentioned in passing that she wanted us to create our own torta. It seemed like a strange request because to me, torta always meant cake. She then clarified that she was talking about the classic Mexican sandwich, which is also called a torta. We started throwing around ideas and settled on a vegetable sandwich with classic Mexican seasonings. I would grill portobello mushrooms (to substitute for the protein in the sandwich), red bell peppers, poblano peppers, and onions seasoned with a homemade Tex-Mex seasoning mix that Laurie created.

We also decided to add refried black beans, smashed avocados, and fresh mozzarella into the mix. We put it all in a toasted ciabatta roll to get that crispy, crusty character we love in a good sandwich. The result was a tasty and healthy modern take on the classic torta. The creaminess of the avocado and refried beans combined with the crunch of the bread and grilled veggies was the perfect pairing, along with the heat from the spice seasoning. Feel free to substitute any meat you like for the portobello mushrooms – ham, salami, or turkey are all good substitutes. And don’t scrimp on any of the ingredients to ensure your sandwich is large (and messy) enough that my dad (and Laurie) would approve!

Grilled Veggie Torta (serves 4)

These Mexican sandwiches, or tortas are filled will tasty and healthy grilled vegetables seasoned with a homemade Tex-Mex seasoning mix. Avocado, salsa, and refried beans add authentic Mexican flavors into the mix, and toasted Ciabatta rolls bring a nice crunch to the sandwich. Enjoy with plantain fries and a tasty Mexican beer!

Ingredients

4 ciabatta rolls

4 tbsp. salted butter

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 recipe Tex-Mex seasoning (see recipe below)

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 4 slices

1 poblano pepper, seeded and cut into 4 slices

1 medium yellow onion, cut into 4 ¼-inch thick rounds

4 large portobello mushrooms, gills removed (just scrape off the gills with a spoon and discard)

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 15-oz. can refried beans

1/3 cup store-bought salsa

2 avocados, peeled and pitted

Juice from ½ lime

¼ tsp. kosher salt

8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/8 inch thick

Directions

Slice the ciabatta rolls in half. Butter and sprinkle garlic powder on each half – set aside.

Heat a grill by turning all burners to high for 15 minutes, lid-closed. Meanwhile, place the peppers, onion, and mushrooms in a large bowl and drizzle with oil and Tex-Mex seasoning on both sides - toss to coat. Grill vegetables on medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, rotating half-way through until nicely charred and tender. Remove to cutting board and cover with foil to let cool. Once cool, slice the onion rounds in half and cut the peppers into ¾-inch thick slices.

Combine the refried beans and salsa in a medium bowl and set aside.  Please the avocados in a separate medium bowl and mash with the back of a fork until mostly smooth with just a few small chucks. Squeeze juice from ½ of a lime over avocado and sprinkle with kosher salt. Then stir to combine – set aside.

Toast the ciabatta in a toaster oven (or alternatively, place on a rack positioned in the upper third of an oven set at 375 degrees and toast until lightly browned. Place mozzarella cheese on top half of each roll and return to toaster or oven for a few minutes until mozzarella melts.

Assemble the torta by spreading the refried bean/salsa mixture on the bottom side of the roll, followed by the portabella mushroom, peppers, onions, and mashed avocado and top half of ciabatta with melted mozzarella.

Tex-Mex Seasoning (makes about ½-oz. of seasoning mix)

Ingredients

1 tsp. chipotle chili powder

¼ tsp. ancho chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

¼ tsp. smoked paprika

¼ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper

Directions

Combine all the ingredients into a small bowl and cover until ready to use. Seasoning mix will keep for two-weeks.