Torta Ahogada
Torta Ahogada is the mouth watering and delicious dish which is filled with carnitas and it is drowned in tomato sauce and red chile. It belongs to the sandwich category which is the best Mexican dish you will ever find for your taste buds. Torta Ahogada are such a treat to eat for your family and friends and also best Mexican sandwich. This delicious dish stuffed with tender pork and smothered in a red chile and tomato sauce which makes it messy to handle but also worth to try. I can assure you this is best sandwich you will ever eat in your lifetime.
What is Torta Ahogada?
It is also called drowned sandwich in English. This is a traditional Mexican dish which is like sandwich. It is made from a bread roll which filled with red onions and pork carnitas. Torta Ahogada is drowned or dipped in tomato sauce and red chile sauce. You can serve it with lime wedges. This dish is very popular in the Mexican city of Jalisco, Guadalajara where it is being sold by street vendors and in several restaurants.
Tips for making Torta Ahogada
1. Always make the sauce before Sandwich
It is not recommended that you should make entire sandwich ahead of time because it will get splashy. But you can make sauce 3-4 days earlier. When your sandwich is ready you can heat up the sauce in the microwave and enjoy the dish.
2. Adjust the spicyness of Sauce as per your taste
If you use 8 to 10 peppers makes the sauce medium spicy. For a mild spicy use 5-6 peppers. If you like very spicy taste than add 15 to 16 peppers in the sauce. You will get best taste.
3. Always use a crusty bread
For you sourdough or crusty French baguette are best options. It makes sure that the bread does not totally disintegrate and fall apart after sitting and soaking in the sauce.
4. Always strain the sauce
If you desired of extra smooth consistency than it is recommended to always strain the sauce. But this step is totally depends on you because it’s optional. I always prefer strained sauce but it is totally depends on you.
Recipe for Torta Ahogada
1. Carnitas
You must have 1 pound of cooked shredded pork carnitas. Personally what I always do is that I used this recipe for the carnitas and used the leftovers to make other dish which need it.
2. Crusty Bread
The dish Torta Ahogada are made with a bread named birote which is traditional bread from Mexico. This bread is soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. It is saltier and crunchier on the outside and sourdough like flavour. Honestly, I always prefer and also recommend you using crusty bread like a sourdough or French baguette because it is not always easy to find birote in the United States.
3. Peppers
Always use Chile de Arbol peppers because it is what you need if you want spicy taste for the sauce.
4. Onions
If you want to give tanginess to your sandwich it is recommended to use pickle red onions or raw sliced red onions.
5. Spices
To make tasty red chile sauce, just blend garlic, onions, ground cumin, a splash of white vinegar and Mexican oregano together.
6. Tomatoes
To make the base of red sauce, use plum or roma tomatoes.
Ingredients to make Torta Ahogada
For the Sandwich
– Pork Carnitas (1 pound)
– Lime Wedges
– Crusty Bread Rolls (4)
– Red Onions (Thinly Sliced)
– Cheese
For the Sauce
– Chile de Arbol Peppers (10 to12)
– Chopped Onions (1/2 cup)
– Dried Oregano (1/4 teaspoon)
– Plum or Roma Tomatoes (2 pound)
– Garlic (3 cloves)
– Ground Cumin (1/4 teaspoon)
– White Vinegar (2 tablespoon)
– Olive Oil (1 tablespoon)
– Salt (As per taste)
How to make Torta Ahogada
1. To make this dish you’ll have to make the sauce first.
2. After this ready the sandwich stuffing with a pork carnitas, red onion and cotija cheese.
Instructions to make Torta Ahogada
1. To make this dish, on high flame, heat 2 cups of water in a pan and bring to a boil.
2. Now remove the pan from gas and add the dried chile de arbol peppers.
3. Cover it and soak it for 20 minutes to rehydrate and soften.
4. Now place the plum or roma tomatoes on a large baking sheet.
5. After this, broil it the oven for 9-10 minutes, flipping the tomatoes halfway through roasting until the skins are charred and blistered.
6. Now transfer the softened chile de arbol to a blender after drain water from chile.
7. Now add garlic, roasted tomatoes, vinegar, onion, oregano, cumin and salt and blend until smooth paste.
8. After this take a pan and add olive oil and heat it on high flame.
9. Now, add paste or sauce, stir to cook and bring to a simmer.
10. Remove the pan from gas.
11. Now assemble the sandwich by filling each roll with red onions, porn carnitas and a sprinkle of cotija cheese.
12. After this, place each sandwich in a bowl.
13. Now, top the sandwich with a generous amount of sauce and squeeze the lime wedges.
14. Your Torta Ahogada is ready to serve.
What to serve with Torta Ahogada?
1. Lime Wedges
2. Onions
3. Radishes
4. Avocados
5. Queso Fresco
6. Queso Cotija
Note
1. It is not recommended that you should make entire sandwich ahead of time because it will get splashy. But you can make sauce 3-4 days earlier. When your sandwich is ready you can heat up the sauce in the microwave and enjoy the dish.
2. If you desired of extra smooth consistency than it is recommended to always strain the sauce. But this step is totally depends on you because it’s optional. I always prefer strained sauce but it is totally depends on you.
3. For you sourdough or crusty French baguette are best options. It makes sure that the bread does not totally disintegrate and fall apart after sitting and soaking in the sauce.
4. If you use 8 to 10 peppers makes the sauce medium spicy. For a mild spicy use 5-6 peppers. If you like very spicy taste than add 15 to 16 peppers in the sauce. You will get best taste.
Nutrition in Torta Ahogada
Carbohydrates- 73g
Calories- 518kcal
Protein- 24g
Fat- 15g
Iron- 4mg
Calcium- 150mg
Vitamin C- 36mg
Vitamin A- 2589IU
Sugar- 25g
Fibre- 6g
Potassium- 701mg
Sodium- 1762mg
Cholesterol- 49mg
Saturated Fat- 4g
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