Pizzadilla

When my son was a little boy, he had his own ideas about food – don’t all kids? Of course, we went through the “beige phase” – only pale, bland foods like hot dogs, rice, noodles (butter only please, no sauce!), popcorn, and the like. I’m sure most parents have gone through similar, if not identical, food phases. Then there was the period when he wouldn’t use his right hand! Nothing wrong with it, he just refused to use it. This was about the time when he was mostly weened off of us feeding him and he was becoming more self-sufficient.  No doubt some sort of separation anxiety.

Eventually things changed as he got older. One day he said to me, “Why don’t we make paella”? Whoa, where did that come from?  Apparently he had seen it on one of those TV cooking shows and it seemed like a good idea to him.  Well, we gathered all the ingredients and made paella and he ate it without question.  I guess it was a case of the classic, “If they make it, they will eat it”.

As he grew to eat a wider range of foods, he also became interested in controlling what went into his meals. Hence, Pizzadillas.

Pizzadilla

Every kid likes pizza. Nathan also liked quesadillas. During the beige phase it was about the only thing he’d eat at our favorite taqueria, Taco Burrito Mexico.  Now, quesadillas aren’t hard to make.  Melt some cheese on a tortilla in a pan and fold it over.  Voilà, quesadilla.

One day Nathan got the idea to make a mash-up of a quesadilla and a pizza – what we dubbed a Pizzadilla!  Instead of queso fresco he thought we should substitute mozzarella, add some marinara sauce and pepperoni.  We tried it and, damn, it was good.  I make them now for breakfast (I favor savory things in the morning rather than the traditional sweet things) or a quick lunch or snack.

Pizzadilla (for one serving)

2 wheat tortillas
2 Tbs marinara sauce
1/4 C. shredded mozzarella
sliced pepperoni, enough to fit the tortilla
Butter or margarine

Butter one side of one of the tortillas.  Place, butter side down in a cold skillet.

Spoon on the marinara sauce and spread it out.

Distribute the pepperoni (as dense or sparse as you please).

Add the shredded mozzarella.

Top with the second tortilla, buttered on one side, buttered side up.

Turn on the heat under the skillet and cook until the tortilla is golden brown and a little crispy.  Carefully flip the quesadilla (if you’ve toasted the first side long enough, the cheese will have melted sufficiently to make the halves stay together) and cook the other side until done.  Let cool a little and cut into wedges.  Enjoy.