Torta de Milanesa

Ingredients

• 4beef steakthin slices of top round, about 500 g total, pounded flat
• 4telera rollshalved horizontally; soft rolls or ciabatta as a substitute
• 3eggsbeaten, for the breading
• 2⅛ ozall-purpose flourfor dredging before the egg
• 5¼ ozbreadcrumbsfor the breading, panko also works
• 1 cupoilfor shallow-frying, e.g. sunflower or corn oil
• saltfor seasoning the meat
• black pepperfreshly ground
• 7 ozrefried beanswarmed, spread on the roll
• 2avocadosliced
• 2tomatoessliced
• 1onioncut into thin rings or strips
• 10½ ozcheesesliced or shredded; mozzarella as a substitute
• ⅔ cupmayonnaisefor spreading on the roll
• ⅓ cupsour creamfor spreading, alternative to mayonnaise
• chilifor heat on top, in rings or as a paste
• 1 tbspbutterfor toasting the rolls (optional)
• 4lettuceleaves, finely shredded (optional)
• 1limejuice for marinating the onion or for pico de gallo (optional)

Method

1. Pound and season the steaksLay the beef steaks between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound them nice and thin, then season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Bread the milanesasSet out three shallow dishes with the flour, the beaten eggs and the breadcrumbs. Dredge each piece of meat in flour first, then pull it through the egg and finally roll it in the breadcrumbs. Press the crumbs on firmly with your hands so the coating stays put while it fries.
3. Fry the milanesasHeat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the milanesas in batches for 2 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown, then let them drain on paper towels.
4. Slice the vegetablesWhile the meat is frying, slice the avocados and tomatoes and cut the white onion into thin rings or strips. If you like, finely shred a few lettuce leaves as well.
5. Toast the rollsHalve the telera rolls horizontally and toast them cut side down in a little butter on a plancha or in a skillet until lightly crisp.
6. Spread the rollsSpread the warmed refried beans on one cut side of each roll and mayonnaise or crema (or sour cream) on the other.
7. Layer the tortasOn the bottom half, layer a milanesa, the cheese, avocado, tomato, onion and the lettuce if you're using it. Add pickled jalapeño rings or a bit of chipotle in adobo for the heat.
8. Close, cut and serveClose the tortas, press them down gently, cut each one in half and serve right away, while the coating still crunches.

Tips and variations

Chicken breast works well in place of beef, and the breaded milanesas can then be baked in the oven at about 200 °C (400 °F) for 15 to 20 minutes. For more flavor, season the breading with garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder and a little cumin, or mix in some cotija and chipotle powder. If you like it melty, let the Oaxaca cheese melt right on the hot milanesa and give the finished torta another quick toast in the skillet. Onion marinated in lime juice or a spoonful of pico de gallo adds freshness, and chipotle mayo as a spread brings smoky heat. Serve the torta cut in half and still warm, so it's easy to eat out of hand.