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Cemitas
Updated Feb. 7, 2024
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- Total Time
- 35 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- ⅓cup all-purpose flour
- 2large eggs, beaten
- 1cup plain bread crumbs
- 4(5-ounce) pork cutlets, pounded ¼-inch-thick
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- About ½ cup neutral oil (such as safflower or canola), for shallow frying
- 4cemitas or sesame rolls (about 5 inches in diameter), split
- 2avocados, thinly sliced
- 8ounces Oaxaca or string cheese, finely shredded
- ½cup pickled jalapeños (or 4 chipotles en adobo with 2 tablespoons of their liquid), chopped
- ½small white onion, thinly sliced
- 1cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
Preparation
- Step 1
Place flour, eggs and bread crumbs in 3 separate wide, shallow bowls or large plates.
- Step 2
Season cutlets with salt and pepper. Working with one cutlet at a time, dredge in flour until fully coated, then shake off excess. Dip in egg, coating both sides, let excess drip off, then press into bread crumbs until well coated. Transfer to a clean plate and repeat with remaining 3 cutlets.
- Step 3
In a 12-inch skillet, heat ¼ inch of oil over medium until shimmering. (A pinch of bread crumbs dropped into the oil should sizzle.) Add 2 cutlets and cook until golden and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt. Repeat with the remaining 2 cutlets.
- Step 4
Build the cemitas: On the bottom rolls, divide the avocado slices, arranging them in an even layer. Place one cutlet on top of each, followed by the cheese, jalapeños, onion and cilantro. Close sandwiches and serve warm.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
Oaxaca cheese does not have a similar texture/flavor to string cheese. There are lots of salty cheese options that would work better.
Oaxacan cheese is nearly identical to string cheese, it’s just a different shape. Pull it apart into strings, it’s the same thing. Nothing exotic here.
I am baffled by this. I live in Puebla and we eat cemitas regularly. The chicken should be pounded super thin, and the quesillo or Oaxaca cheese should be piled high. And I have no idea what they’re talking about with those eggy rolls—I’ve eaten hundreds of cemitas and not a one is made with an egg dough.
I'd encourage anyone curious about this recipe to track down some authentic cemita rolls (or bake yourself, if so inclined). I've had a lot of great cemitas, and the bread itself really contributes a lot... I don't think substituting a random sesame roll from the supermarket would do it justice.
Oaxaca cheese does not have a similar texture/flavor to string cheese. There are lots of salty cheese options that would work better.
Oaxacan cheese is nearly identical to string cheese, it’s just a different shape. Pull it apart into strings, it’s the same thing. Nothing exotic here.
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