Pambazos

Pambazos

A street vendor cooking pambazos in Mexico City

The word pambazo derives from the Ladino term pan basso (low bread), which originated during Mexico’s viceregal period. It was an inferior-quality bread made with deteriorated wheat flour meant for lower classes. There were bakeries dedicated to this kind of bread only, called panbasserías. But through the years, pambazo became just another kind of bread sold at all bakeries and also the name for an antojito (appetizer) made with it. Recipe Servings: Serves 6

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

40 minutes

Total Time

1 hour

Vegetarian

Vegan

Gluten Free

Dairy Free

Kosher

Halal

Ingredients

2 lbs (1 kg) potatoes, boiled and quartered
1 lb (450 g) raw mexican chorizo, removed from casings
1 large white onion, diced, divided
Kosher salt to taste
12 dried guajillo peppers, stemmed and seeded
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup (200 g) refried beans, warmed
2 cups (150 g) iceberg lettuce, shredded
2 oz (57 g) queso fresco, crumbled
6 sturdy rolls (pan basso), portuguese rolls, or kaiser rolls
1/3 cup (80 ml) sour cream

Directions

In a large frying pan over medium heat, toast the chiles for about 15 seconds on each side.
Add half the onion and the garlic. Cover with water and bring to a boil.
Simmer until the dried chiles get rehydrated.
With a strainer, remove the chiles, onions, and garlic and transfer to a blender. Add 1 cup (240 ml) of the liquid and 1/4 tsp (1.23 ml) Kosher salt. Blend until smooth.
Over medium-high heat, cook the chorizo in the pan for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining onion and cook until it is soft.
Add the boiled potatoes and crush them a little with a spoon. Salt to taste.
Dip the rolls in the sauce until well-coated. Place them on an oiled skillet over medium-high heat and fry until brown on both sides. Repeat the process with all the rolls.
Open the rolls and stuff them with refried beans and the potato and chorizo mixture. Add queso fresco, lettuce, and sour cream.