The tortilla used for a baleada is made fresh every day from wheat flour (not the corn tortilla used in Mexico and Guatemala). It is thick, soft, and slightly chewy, cooked on a flat griddle called a comal until golden spots appear on each side.
The basic three fillings are refried red beans, mantequilla (a thick Honduran cream), and queso seco (a dry, salty white cheese). But baleadas can also be topped with scrambled eggs, avocado, grilled chicken, or pickled vegetables - making them endlessly customisable.
Hondurans eat baleadas at all hours. Many families eat a simple one for breakfast, a more elaborate one for lunch, and then a snack-sized one in the afternoon. Street vendors called baleaderas make them fresh to order, usually folding them and handing them over in seconds.
Red beans are the backbone of baleadas and of Honduran cooking in general. They are soaked overnight, boiled, and then mashed and fried in a pan with garlic and a little oil until they become smooth and creamy. Every family has a slightly different recipe.
Baleadas are thought to have originated in the city of San Pedro Sula in northern Honduras, where they became popular in the mid-20th century. The name may come from the word 'bala' (bullet), perhaps because early versions were small and round like a roll, but nobody knows for sure.