Mollete

Mely Martínez’s Mexican molletes are a snack or breakfast of crusty bread rolls topped with refried beans and melted cheese. Her selected version uses two bolillos, softened butter, warm refried beans and shredded Oaxaca cheese, served with pico de gallo. Cooked, crumbled chorizo is an optional topping.

The oven broiler is preheated to 400°F. The bolillos are cut lengthwise, and a spoon removes some of the inside crumb. Butter is spread over the bread, which is placed on a baking sheet and broiled for four to five minutes, until golden and crisp.

The bread is removed from the oven. Warm refried beans are spread over each piece, followed by the shredded Oaxaca cheese. If the optional cooked, crumbled chorizo is selected, it is added over the cheese.

The topped bread returns beneath the broiler for about five minutes, until the cheese melts. Martínez’s sequence first crisps the buttered bread, then melts the cheese over the beans.

The molletes are served with pico de gallo. The crisp bread supports the bean layer and melted cheese, with the optional chorizo on top; the salsa accompanies the finished bread.