Toasty and Cheesy Molletes are essentially toasted crusty bread, melted cheese, open-faced sandwiches layered with refried beans and other goodies. I give you three equally delicious alternatives here: Basic Toasty and Cheesy Molletes, Mexican Chorizo Molletes and Smoked Ham Molletes. Make your favorite or, better yet, make them all!
The sky is the limit when it comes to ingredients. Your basic Toasty and Cheesy Molletes will consist of beans spread over the flat side of a halved bolillo roll, smothered in delicious oven-melted Oaxaca cheese. Manchego or other types of melty cheese are used also. The final touch to your mollete is your favorite salsa topping. Pico de Gallo salsa is a popular option (see recipe below).
Beans and Chorizo or Beans and Ham Molletes (recipes below), are equally tasty and easy to fix. Other great toppings come to mind, such as Picadillo or Papas con Chorizo. Pick your favorite ingredients. Top them with cheese, pop into the broiler for a quick melt, add your go-to salsa, et voilà! They are so simple to make, and they are ideal for breakfast or brunch. Doesn’t hurt that they are inexpensive too and the ingredients are always available. If you can’t find the bolillo rolls at your local bakery, use a different kind of crusty bread (like baguette, for instance).
It is important to use refried beans. They are very spreadable due to their perfect consistence. And since they are not soupy, the bread will hold well. The recipe for Refried Beans also follows. As an extra, I have included the recipe for the Pico de Gallo salsa also.
Broil your halved bolillos until brown before spreading and topping with your favorite ingredients. It will only add 2 to 3 minutes to your total time, but will make a great difference in the end.
Molletes
Ingredients
- For the refried beans:
- 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil or pork lard
- 1/3 cup White or Red onion, chopped
- 1 15 oz can Black beans, drained (save some of the can liquid) or 2 cups of homemade cooked black beans
- Salt and pepper to taste
- For the molletes:
- 4 units Bolillo rolls, cut lengthwise or you can use Baguette pieces or other type of crusty bread.
- 2 cups Refried beans (recipe follows)
- 1/2 cup Cooked Mexican chorizo
- 1/2 cup Smoked ham cut in bite-sized pieces
- 1 1/2 cups Shredded Oaxaca cheese or shredded Mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- To make the refried beans:In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until soft. Add the drained beans and mash them using a masher or a fork. Add some of the can liquid to make the beans easy to spread and not too dry.
- To make assorted-topping Molletes:
- Preheat broiler to "Low".
- Place halved rolls on a baking sheet and broil until lightly golden, 1 to 3 minutes, depending on your broiler and always keeping an eye on the bread pieces so that they don't burn. Spread each halved roll with 1/4 cup of beans.
- For the Chorizo Molletes, spread 1/4 cup of cooked Mexican Chorizo over the refried bean layer of 2 halved bolillo rolls.
- For the Ham Molletes, spread 1/4 cup of smoked ham over the refried bean layer of 2 halved bolillo rolls.
- Top all the Molletes with shredded cheese. Return to the broiler and broil until the cheese is melted and starting to bubble, 1 to 3 minutes depending on your broiler and always keeping an eye on the bread pieces so that the molletes don't burn. Serve hot and enjoy with your favorite salsa.
- To make the Pico de Gallo Salsa:Chop 2 Roma tomatoes, 1/2 cup white or red onions, 1 seeded, serrano chile (or half of one seeded, jalapeno) and a small bunch of rinsed cilantro. I add 2 tsp of olive oil to the salsa also, as it enhances all the flavors. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss all the ingredients.
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