Mexican magic: Santiago Lastra’s recipes for cheesy mushroom costras and beetroot tostadas

Poppadoms masquerade as tortillas in these tostadas topped with a striking pink mole, and grilled mushroom tortillas smothered in melty cheese and a sharp salsa Costra, meaning ‘crust’ in Spanish, is a classic dish from the north and centre of Mexico that’s traditionally made with tender cuts of beef and finished with a melted crust of semi-hard cheese (usually Chihuahua or manchego mixed with Oaxaca cheese for texture). The cheese is grated on a plancha grill and allowed to melt and crisp up...

By Santiago Lastra