Chicken Mole Torta (Torta de Mole con Pollo)

• 4 Mexican bolillos
• 1 or 2 tablespoons fresh-rendered pork lard or vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups red mole
• 4 cups (about 1 pound) coarsely shredded cooked chicken (a rotisserie chicken would be my suggestion)
• 1 cup crema
• 1 cup crumbled Mexican queso fresco or another garnishing cheese such as farmer’s cheese or dry goat cheese crumbles
• 1/2 a medium white onion, sliced thinly and rinsed

Prepare the bread

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 375 F and warm the bread for about 5 minutes to re-crisp. Split each roll in half around the equators, then pull out some of the migas (the soft bread) from the middle of each roll’s bottom half

Make the bean puree

1. 2

   Scrape the beans into a blender or food processor, add the lard or oil and process until smooth. Taste and season with salt, if necessary.

Layer the Tortas

1. 3

   If using a mole paste, reconstitute it according to the package directions to yield 1 ½ cups of finished sauce that’s the consistency of a medium-thick cream soup. Heat your mole in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the coarsely shredded chicken, and cook until heated through. Smear a portion of the bean spread over the bottom of each roll, then scoop on a portion of the chicken in mole and spread it to cover the bread. Top with dollops of crema, followed by a generous sprinkling of queso fresco and white onions. You’re ready for a spectacular torta.