Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Extra-Crispy Bar-Style Tortilla Pizza

This recipe is total genius, and I've made it probably five or six times since discovering it!  It's actually so simple that I hesitated to post it, but I decided I liked it so much that I had to share.

While I love "real" pizza, I am also a big fan of English muffin pizzas, pita pizzas, and naan pizzas -- nothing beats super fast pizza, and these versions are all delicious.  However, this tortilla pizza is now my new favorite of all these cheater pizzas.  The bottom of the tortilla gets super crisp, and the size is perfect for one person.  Because the crust is so thin, this is really all about the toppings, which is what you want when you're not going to be using high-quality pizza dough.  And, it super fast! Win-win-win.

The only caveat here is that a cast iron pan is definitely a necessity.  A non-stick skillet is not safe to use under the broiler, and the thick cast iron is needed to get the crust super crispy.  Luckily cast iron pans are inexpensive and can be used for lots of tasks, so it's a worthwhile investment for more than just pizza.  ;)  Make sure to purchase tortillas that are the same size as your pan so you don't end up with cheese overflow.



Extra-Crispy Bar-Style Tortilla Pizza (adapted from Serious Eats, original recipe here)
Serves 1, easily multiplied

Olive oil
1 flour tortilla, of the same size as your cast iron skillet (mine is 8 inches, so I bought 8-inch tortillas)
Tomato sauce
Shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
Pepperoni (or any other toppings you like)

1. Place your oven rack about 6-8 inches from the broiler element, and preheat the broiler to high.
2. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Add a bit of oil, and heat until shimmering.  Wipe out the excess oil with a paper towel.
3. Place the tortilla with the rougher-textured side facing down (the side with the larger air bubbles should be facing up).
4. Spoon a thin layer of tomato sauce over the tortilla and spread evenly.  Sprinkle on the cheese, and arrange your pepperoni or other toppings over the cheese.
5. Pop the whole thing under the broiler for 2-3 minutes.  Keep a close eye to make sure your pizza doesn't burn.
6. Carefully transfer the pizza to a plate and cut into slices.

2 comments:

  1. I'm with you - I love my pizza crust thin and unless its pizza at an amazing place with great yeasted crust that I'd want to eat all by itself, I love a good English muffin or naan crust at home! I've done tortilla pizza (I think it was a quick tutorial in the back of a magazine from Jacque Pepin) and it's great. I like how you really loaded it up! : )

    ReplyDelete
  2. I've made deep dish pizzas in my cast iron skillet, never thought to do a thin crust one! That looks delicious - but of course, you had me at the word "pizza!"

    ReplyDelete