This vegetarian Mexican torte is savory, spicy, and full of flavor. It has five layers, serves eight, and makes a great meal. Serve it with hot salsa and a cold beer.

Not a Torta: What Is a Mexican Torte?

Years ago, we lived in Marblehead, Massachusetts. In the old town, close to the Atlantic, there was a fab little lunch place. Their daily special was a huge slice of Mexican torte.

Don’t confuse it with a Mexican torta, which is a sandwich. A torte is a layered dish built in a springform pan.

A Texas Craving in New England

This unlikely find became one of our favorite lunch stops. Picture a couple of chili-head Texans who grew up eating Tex-Mex almost daily. We moved to California and fell for the Baja flavors of the Pacific coast. Then we landed on the East Coast. The culture shock was real.

Marblehead was one of the best little towns we’ve lived in. It claims to be the birthplace of the U.S. Navy. Old men in rowboats sold “chicken” lobsters (the small ones) for five bucks apiece. The town also has some of the best deep-water sailing schools on the East Coast. It’s where I failed miserably as a deep-water sailor. I never shook the feeling that the Atlantic was trying to kill me.

The food was outstanding. We could eat lobster rolls and clam chowder all day. But loving one thing doesn’t mean you don’t miss the other. So we were elated when we found this torte.

It wasn’t spicy, but we fixed that at the table. We had never seen a Mexican torte before. My wife Stella (so not her real name) said, “Wow, that’s a really great idea. I bet I can make this for us at home.”

And she did.

How Our Recipe Evolved

The recipe changed over time. We added what we thought was missing. We dropped a few things that should never appear in Mexican food. Eventually we landed on our base recipe: a wonderfully savory vegetarian Mexican torte.

We add protein now and then. Usually it’s just leftover rotisserie chicken or pork roast. You don’t need meat, but we still talk about what we could add. I vote for chorizo. Stella swears barbacoa would be better. It’s a tie, and one of us will have to give in. I know which one it will be.

Easy to Make, Stunning to Serve

This torte is easy to make and looks great. It’s perfect for lunch or dinner. Your guests will “ooh” and “aah” and ask for the recipe.

Here’s what we serve with it:

• Iced Dos Equis
• Blue-corn tortilla chips
• Our fire-roasted homemade salsa (click for the recipe)
• Sour cream and guacamole
• A sprinkle of fresh chopped cilantro

Be creative with this recipe. We often scour the fridge and freezer for leftovers. When we grill, we grill extra veggies like red peppers. Then we freeze them for soups and dishes like this torte.

Buen provecho!

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Savory Vegetarian Mexican Torte

Prep time: 30 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Serves: 8

Equipment

• One 8-inch springform pan
• Several bowls
• Spoon
• Sheet pan

Ingredients

• 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, grated
• One 28-oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes with green chilies (try Muir Glen)
• One 14-oz. can pinto beans (you won’t need all of it)
• 1 small can corn, drained (you won’t need all of it)
• 1 roasted red pepper, diced, or 1 small can pimentos
• 24 corn tortillas, cut into quarters (heartier ones, like La Tortilla Factory’s organic corn tortillas, work best)
• 3 large green onions, chopped
• About ⅓ bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• Cumin: 1/2 teaspoon
• Oregano: 1 teaspoon
• Thyme: 1/4 teaspoon

Instructions:

First, preheat the oven to 350.

Warm the beans with a bit of their liquid until just heated and season with cumin, oregano and thyme.

Assemble the spring form pan, lining the bottom of the pan with overlapping tortilla wedges.

Add a layer of tomatoes on top of the tortilla wedges. Add a sprinkling of cheese, green onion and cilantro.

Add another layer of tortillas and a layer of tomatoes. Add the seasoned and drained pinto beans, being careful that the beans all rest in a single layer.

Add a layer of tortillas, more tomatoes and a sprinkling of sliced green onion, cilantro and cheese.

Add a layer of tortillas and tomatoes, corn, roasted red pepper and sprinkle with cheese.

Add a final layer of tortillas, tomatoes, cheese and cilantro.

Place the spring form pan on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes or until it’s bubbling.

Note:   The torte may leak through the bottom of the spring form pan. Bake on a cookie sheet with a raised edge. This torte keeps well in the refrigerator.

A 1/8 slice heats perfectly in a 1200-watt microwave in 90 seconds.

Enjoy!