August 4th, 2008

Mexi Tortilla Pizzas

mexitortillapizza.jpg

This recipe originated from “get rid of leftovers” night. On these nights, I stand in front of the fridge and pull out everything that needs to get eaten. Sometimes that amounts to eating grilled cheese with six spoonfuls of six different leftover side dishes. Other times, it means compiling all the produce that’s about to head south in a creative way. On this particular night, I had leftover pizza sauce and tortillas from Roasted Red Pepper and Mushroom Tortilla Pizzas. And really, that was about it. I rooted around the fridge and freezer a while longer and found some smoked cheddar, green onions, and a bag of frozen corn. I was getting closer to something, and since I really wanted to use up that pizza sauce, I figured another tortilla pizza was in order. From the fruit bowl, I pulled out an avocado and a tomato. That would do. I wasn’t sure if it would amount to much, but I put it together anyway and presented it to my husband in front of the tube. This is GOOD! he said. And I have to agree. Better, and easier, than the Roasted Red Pepper and Mushroom Tortilla Pizzas, too. You could also call this a pizza quesadilla, top it with another tortilla, an extra layer of cheese, “grill” it, and serve accordingly.

Ingredients:

*Note: I didn’t technically measure anything for this recipe. This one’s all about throwing stuff on. It’s just a pizza, anyhow. A five-year-old could do it! Well, except for the tortilla “grilling” part. You better handle that one.

“grilled” tortillas (1-2 per person)—see method and picture here, or method in guidelines below.
pizza sauce—recipe below
smoked cheddar cheese
green onions, sliced
corn kernels
avocado, diced
tomato, diced

“Mexi” Pizza Sauce:

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 can tomato sauce with a drizzle of olive oil, and 2-3 shakes each of the following spices: minced onion, garlic powder, oregano, and basil. Add 2 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp-1tbsp. adobo sauce, and fresh ground pepper to taste. Mix well and simmer on low until you’re ready to use it. Taste and adjust as necessary.

What is adobo sauce and where do I get it? Adobo sauce is what canned chipotle chilis are packed in. You can find a can of chipotles, which are smoked jalapenos, in the Latin/Hispanic/Mexican aisle if your grocery store.

Guidelines:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the pizza sauce and “grill” your tortillas. By “grill,” I mean turn on your burner and place the tortillas, one at a time, directly on top. (I used my electric range, and it worked fine.) Grill for a minute or two on each side, or until the tortilla browns and puffs. Set tortillas aside.

Grate the smoked cheddar, dice the avocado and tomato, slice the green onions, and thaw your corn kernels, if using frozen.

Once the sauce is hot, you can begin preparing your pizzas. Top each tortilla with your desired amount of sauce, cheese, tomato, and corn. Reserve the avocado and green onions. Bake for 8-10 minutes on a pizza stone or pizza screen (to ensure a crispy crust), or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven and top with the avocado and green onions.

Serve with an ear of fresh corn and a cold Negra Modelo, and you’ve got dinner in twenty minutes.

  
Posted By: Kelly  |  Filed Under: Marinara Sauce, Specialty  |  Print

One Response to “Mexi Tortilla Pizzas”

  1. Tom Aarons

    August 11th, 2008 at 3:12 am

    I love your tortilla pizzas. They look so uncomplicated, colorful and delicious!


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