In Vera Cruz (Mexico), pambazo is also a sandwich filled with potatoes and chorizo, and dipped in red chile sauce. Pambazo” is cited in English from at least 1904.
Pambazo, the dish or antojito (very similar to the torta) is bread dipped in a red guajillo pepper sauce and filled with papas con chorizo (potatoes with chorizo.
These salsa-dunked and griddle sandwiches are an iconic Mexico City street food. If you can't find the bread at your local Mexican grocer or online, substitute Kaiser rolls.
Salsa-Dipped Potato and Chorizo Sandwich
Serves 6
Ingredients
15 dried guajillo chiles (available at marxfoods.com)
1 clove garlic
½ small white onion, roughly chopped
Kosher salt, to taste
2 ¼ lb. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½" cubes
½ cup canola oil
1 ¼ lb. fresh chorizo, casings removed
6 soft pambazos, teleras (see Mexico's Daily Breads), or kaiser rolls, split
3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
2 cups grated queso Oaxaca (available at mexgrocer.com) or mozzarella
¾ cup crema (available at mexgrocer.com) or sour cream
Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add chiles, cook, turn once, until toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer all chiles to a large bowl; pour over 4 cups boiling water, and let sit until chiles are soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 1/4 cups soaking liquid, and remove stems and seeds from chiles. Transfer chiles and reserved soaking liquid to a blender along with garlic and onion; purée until very smooth, at least 2 minutes. Pour sauce into a bowl, set aside.
Bring 4-qt. saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat, add potatoes, and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Heat 2 tbsp. oil in skillet over medium heat; add chorizo, and cook, stirring to break up into small pieces, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Add potatoes, and cook until potatoes are very tender, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Using your fingers, scoop out and discard the insides of rolls, leaving a ½"-thick shell. Place about 1 cup potato-chorizo mixture on roll bottoms, and cover with tops; press sandwiches lightly to flatten and compact filling.
Heat 2 tbsp. oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Submerge sandwiches in chile sauce until thoroughly soaked, at least 10 seconds; place in skillet, and cook, pressing constantly with a metal spatula to flatten and flipping once, until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes.
Transfer to a cutting board; repeat with remaining oil, sandwiches and sauce. Open sandwiches and divide lettuce, cheese, and crema among sandwiches; close sandwiches again and serve warm.
* Source: Wikipedia, Saveur, Barry Oioik