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1
Heat a comal over high heat until it smokes lightly. Lay the semi-dried tlayuda tortilla flat on the comal and char on both sides, pressing gently, until the surface blisters in dark patches and the base stiffens without cracking. The tortilla should be rigid enough to hold its shape when lifted at one edge.
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2
Transfer the charred base to a flat work surface. Spread black bean paste — cooked with toasted avocado leaf — evenly across the entire surface in a thin, continuous film. The bean layer acts as a moisture barrier between the tortilla and the fat above it; an even coating with no bare patches confirms it is done.
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3
Smear asiento over the bean layer — never beneath it. Apply a generous film of 1–2 tablespoons per tlayuda, enough to coat without pooling. The surface should appear glossy and opaque, not saturated.
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4
Distribute the cooked meat — tasajo, cecina, or chorizo — across the asiento layer. The load should remain light enough that the tlayuda retains flex; it must bend without buckling under its own weight.
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5
Lay the quesillo over the meat. The cheese is placed after the meat so that residual heat from the tortilla and the meat below melts it gently without the application of additional heat. It is ready when the cheese begins to soften and lose its sharp edges.
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6
Scatter chapulines over the assembled surface as a final garnish. They are never cooked and never added before this point; they must remain dry and crisp. A clean, audible snap when pressed between finger and thumb confirms they are in condition.
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7
For street presentation, fold the tlayuda in half along its diameter; the fold traps heat and merges all elements. For restaurant presentation, serve open-face with the layered components clearly visible. Serve immediately — the assembled tlayuda is not reheated.