Milwaukeean love thin crust pizza. Restaurant reviewers often call our style “cracker crust” because so many of us seem to love a pizza crust that crunches straight through when you bite down on it.
I have tried for decades to make the right kind of crust: a yeast crust that bubbles when it’s baked, that crisps up so much that the bubbles break open but the crust holds it’s shape. I usually add a little corn meal to give it a little “bite”, a little more mouth texture. I have tried pizza stones, and pizza trays, and pizza screens; all in search of a better crust.
I am still looking.
On the other side of the coin — I have never liked tortillas. Why? I have no definitive idea except:
- It doesn’t have the feel of a yeast bread.
- Other than the large bubbles you get when you grill them there’s no aeration — no squeeze factor.
- They are usually quite bland — needing salt or some flavor.
Considering that we are planning a retirement that involves significant time spent in the South and South West (a region where tortillas are a part of life) I’ve been wanting to find a way to like tortillas. Yes — there…. I said it… I don’t much like them.
So, when I came across this idea my heart skipped a beat.
Use a tortilla, grill/roast it in the oven with pizza toppings applied so that it crisps up just like the perfect pizza crust. There’s not really much difference between the ingredients in a tortilla or pizza dough. So, it’s worth a try.
I think today I’m going out to buy a package of tortillas.
The biggest reason I love this idea is that it’s a solution for the RV! We have no “regular” oven. We do have a microwave/convection oven that hangs from the ceiling. It’s not large enough for a “regular” sized pizza. We have found a smaller than typical sized pizza baking tray; it works quite nicely with the unit set to convection heat. We have even baked in it a couple times — but how to plan a pizza in that small oven has been a challenge. I can’t bring myself to spend the money for a Boboli pizza crust — given the cost of flour, water, and yeast it just rubs me the wrong way to spend several dollars for something I wont like the taste of anyway….. So, the Torilla crust idea really hits my hot button. 🙂 🙂 🙂
Recipe
- 1 Large Tortilla
- 3 Tbsp pizza sauce
- 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese –
If you want it to be a vegan pizza then substitute a drizzle of olive oil and add the pizza sauce over the oil brushed tortilla - toppings of your choice –
mushrooms, peppers, capers, olives — the sky’s the limit —
just not too many at one time so that the veggies don’t make the crust soggy.
Preheat your oven to 425F. (I preheat my pizza stone in the oven.)
Spread pizza sauce on the tortilla – spread to the edge of the tortilla. Top with cheese and toppings. Place on cookie sheet or preheated pizza stone. Bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
From the Far Side of '70 
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