The appetizer, a toasted cheese tostada, was so good that I forgot my nervousness and just chowed down on serving after serving. I think that her parents remembered from that visit more about my appetite than my personality. I tried several times to make Tucson tostadas, but they always ended up tasting like pizza. The secret is to use Mexican cheeses. Monterey you can substitute good-quality Muenste se is a Mexican string cheese.
Anejo cheese is somewhat like Parmesan, dry and crumbly.
You can substitute Mexican cotija cheese, but that is probably pointless, because a store that carries cotija will probably also carry anejo. Fresh-ground parmesan will do in a pinch, though it is not the right flavor. In one of my many attempts to get this recipe right, I tried a mixture of Greek feta and cow's-milk romano cheese. It tasted very interesting, though not at all authentic. Please take a moment to review our Privacy Statement.