Mexicali Pizza

Flour tortillas as pizza crust. It’s fast, it’s crispy, and it works. Load them up with Monterey Jack cheese, chopped tomatoes, green bell peppers, green onions, mild chili peppers, black olives, and mixed vegetables, then bake until the cheese is bubbly and the tortilla turns crackery and golden.

The trick to a crispy base is a hot oven. High heat crisps the tortilla from the bottom while the cheese melts on top. At lower temperatures, the tortilla stays soft and floppy.

Layering cheese both under and over the toppings is smart. The bottom layer melts into the tortilla and glues everything down. The top layer browns and bubbles.

Kitchen Tips

• Lightly grease the baking sheet to prevent sticking, but the tortilla will crisp better if the layer is thin.
• Drain all vegetables well before topping. Wet toppings make the tortilla soggy.
• Watch closely after 10 minutes. Tortillas go from perfectly crisp to burnt edges fast at this temperature.
• Cut with a pizza cutter immediately after pulling from the oven. Let it cool even a minute and the cheese cements everything in place.

Variations

• Add cooked seasoned ground beef or shredded chicken for a meatier version.
• Spread a thin layer of refried beans or salsa on the tortilla before the cheese for a saucy base.
• Use pepper jack cheese instead of Monterey Jack for extra heat.