Chap with wings, five rounds rapid. -- Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, Doctor Who: The Daemons

Ross Cooks! Torte Reform (Pulled Pork Torta)

This was adapted from a recipe for a Pulled Pork Torta provided to Delish.com by Eatingwell.com. I made a few modifications and took a few liberties based on local availability of Stuff In My Fridge and my desire to try out a pair of Tortilla Bowl Makers I’d just bought. If you follow the original recipe and use a pie pan and larger tortillas, you’ll probably only need one. This made two mini-tortas for me. A slightly larger tortilla probably would have worked better, but it was my first time at the new Weigman’s and I couldn’t find low-carb tortillas, and had to go with what was in the fridge. Mine is also less spicy, in keeping with Leah’s preferences. Still too spicy for Dylan, who requested a little taste, and then freaked out when he got it.

  • 1¼ c Unsauced Pulled Pork
  • 2-3 oz Turkey Pepperoni, Sliced and quartered (Or cubed if your turkey pepperoni comes unsliced)
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • ¼ c apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp crushed garlic
  • About 4 oz. chili sauce
  • About 1 tsp minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce
  • pinch salt
  • Pinch black pepper
  • pinch white pepper
  • 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes with green pepper and onion, liquid drained
  • ¼ tsp oregano
  • About a tablespoon italian parsley, chopped (Now, I actually meant to use cilantro here, but the parsley worked out fine. And I hear parsley reduces the risk of ovarian cancer, so stick that in your uterus and smoke it.)
  • ¼-½ cup shredded mexican cheese blend
  • 6 medium low-carb tortillas (or a smaller number of larger tortillas)

Heat the oven to 375°. Put the pork and onions in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add the vinegar and chili sauce. Add the oregano, salt, pepper and chipotle. Cook for about two minutes, stirring regularly. Add tomatoes and pepperoni. Stir and reduce heat to medium. When the oven comes to temperature, spray the tortilla pans with baking spray and press a tortilla into the bottom of each. Put the pans in the oven. After three minutes or so, put in another two tortillas on a baking sheet. Cook everything for about 6 more minutes, then take the tortillas out of the oven and turn off the pot. Gently spoon about a quarter of the pork mixture into the bottom of the tortilla bowls, spreading it flatish. Sprinkle each with cheese and parsley. If you’re using small tortillas, you should be just shy of filling the tortilla bowl. Place the other tortillas from the oven atop the filling and press them into shape as best you can. Split the rest of the pork mixture between the two bowls, then top with the uncooked tortilla. Sprinkle cheese and parsley on top. Now, the original recipe called for drizzling some of the liquid from the tomatoes on top, presumably to keep it from drying out. I forgot, but everything turned out okay. Back into the oven for about 20-30 minutes, until the cheese is whatever shade of golden-brown you like. Unless something’s gone horribly wrong, the tortas should slip out of the pans with a minimum of fuss (It’s a bit tricky since you can’t really get any sort of utensil in under it to lift it. I just flipped the pan upside down and then very quickly flipped the torta back over. It should have enough structural integrity to survive that.