Recipe and photo courtesy of Chef Enrique Cortez
Makes 6 servings
8 oz of bread (I prefer Lt birotes/bolillos)
1 ½ c. water
¼ c. apple juice
¼ c. mezcal
Dash kosher salt
1 t. cinnamon
6 cones of piloncilla (sugar cane)
3 tostadas, cut in half
1 c. mix of almonds, peanuts, raisins, pecans
1 apple, peeled and sliced “paper thin”
1 c. bananas, sliced and fried
1 c. cotija cheese
1 t. paprika
Piloncillo syrup and fresh mint, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350°F. Tear the bolillo bread into small cubes, place on a baking sheet and bake until toasted (approximately 5 minutes).
Mix together water, apple juice, mezcal, salt, cinnamon and piloncilla and cook on medium heat until dissolved. Place tostadas on a large baking sheet, then layer with about one-third of the toasted bread cubes, the nut mix, apple slices, banana slices, and cotija cheese (use about one-third of each ingredient) and repeat the process until there are 3 layers. Pour the liquid mix over all ingredients. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes.
To serve warm: On a white plate, half powered with paprika and half with cinnamon, place a triangular or round piece of the capirotada; garnish with a rustic piece of cotija, piloncillo syrup, and fresh mint,
¡ Enjoy! ¡ Feliz cuaresma!