This isn’t one of your average street vendor or neighborhood torteria offerings, but something you find at fancier torta shops and hotel room service menus. They say it originated in Spain, then became very popular in Venezuela and other parts of South America. But the versions I’ve had in Mexico are thoroughly naturalized with a smooth swoosh of beans, a scattering of charred onions and a crowning of jalapeños fiery tang. All those touches make a Pepito considerably more than just a steak sandwich.
I think this torta is best on a crusty bolillo. Those are easily available at Mexican bakeries, though I encourage you to try your hand at making an artisan version.
INGREDIENTS
- About 2/3 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 or bacon drippings or vegetable oil
- Salt
- 1 pound (about ½ of a medium) flank steak
- OR 1 pound outside skirt steak, trimmed of most surface fat
- 1 large (8 ounce) onion, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- Oil for spraying or brushing
- Fresh black pepper
- 4 bolillos
- 8 slices (4 to 6 ounces) Chihuahua or Mexican Manchego cheese (or other melting cheese like Jack, Colby or mild cheddar)
- 4 large pickled jalapeños, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced lengthwise
- About ¾ cup Roasted Tomatillo Salsa (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the bean spread. Scoop the beans into a food processor or blender jar, followed by the lard 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.
Sear the onions and meat. Heat a very large (12-inch), heavy skillet or griddle (cast iron works best here) over medium-high. Lay the steak and onions out onto your work surface. Brush both sides of each piece with oil, then sprinkle each side generously with salt and pepper. Lay onto the hot skillet or griddle. (You want an uncrowded layer, so you may have to do this in batches.) When the meat and onions are browned underneath, flip them and brown the other side. When the onions are richly browned and softening, 8 to 10 minutes, remove them to a cooling rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Most flank steak, depending on thickness, will take about 4 minutes per side to reach medium-rare to medium doneness; when it reaches that doneness, remove it to the cooling rack to rest for about 10 minutes. When outside skirt has cooked to somewhere between medium-rare and medium, 2 to 3 minutes per side, remove to a cooling rack to rest.
Build the tortas. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Split the bolillos in half around their equators, then scoop out some of the soft interiors. Spread a generous 2 tablespoons of the bean spread over each bottom. Slice the meat across the grain in angled, bias-cut slices and lay out over the beans, shingling the slices as necessary. Place the onion rounds over the meat, then top each delicious-looking construction with two slices of cheese. Set the torta bottoms on a baking sheet, alongside the tops, cut side down, slide into the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
Serve. Scatter the jalapeño slices over the melted cheese, set the tops in place, and you’re set to serve. I like to offer salsa verde for anyone who is so inclined (as I am), but that’s up to you.
