According to El Gran Libro de Tortas, the warm version of the torta came about when a gay couple, who had been asked to leave a restaurant, heated up the previous day’s cold bread for their meal, calling it “tortas al fuego.” Today, a cart serving this type of torta seems to grace nearly every street corner in Mexico City (many painted with just those words “tortas al fuego”), and it is the sandwich that has most easily made the leap into everyday American life.
Like the cold torta, it is generally made on a telera, the three-humped white bread, or on a bolillo, a similar roll with just a single cut in the top, and with rounded edges. Post-split, the inside is spread with lard or butter, then griddled, prior to adding the beans. Setting it apart from many hot sandwiches, the torta doesn’t see heat as a whole, but rather the bread, cheese, and meat are each griddled separately, then stacked into the sandwich.
