"A tostada is a kind of open-faced Mexican sandwich, with many contrasting layers of food piled onto a crispy corn tortilla. ... Spread a large table with dishes of tostada components, and do it buffet-style." - Mollie Katzen. When I stayed in a home in Guatemala, my host mom would serve home-made tortillas topped with mashed avocado or cooked salsa and sprinkled with the ubiquitous Guatemalan cheese.
Ingredients:
as many corn tortillas as people x 3
veggie oil, enough to make a 1/2 inch layer on bottom of pan
Any or all (or none!):
refried beans
black beans
lettuce
mashed avocado
guacamole
minced olives
chopped tomatoes
minced mild chilies
marinated artichoke hearts
cooked corn
salsa or hot sauce
grated cheese
ground dry Mexican cheese
sour cream
chopped hardboiled egg
Heat oil in pan until hot. Slip 1-2 tortillas in and fry just until they get stiff. Take out with tongs and drain on towels.
Serving: Take a crisp tortilla and place it on your plate. Add a spoonful of refried beans, and spread them imaginatively in place. Sprinkle on some grated cheese, followed by an elaborate mound of assorted accessories, the height of which considers the dimensions of your mouth. Spoon on a little sauce or salsa. Now you are ready to make a noble attempt to eat it daintily. Keep your plate under your chin to catch what falls or drips.
A plain tostada is good, too. it tastes almost like corn chips.