Mexican Chorizo Pizza

Every Monday meant Pizza Day. Pizza, canned salty corn, a limp salad & a hard chocolate chip cookie. It was half hearted & bland, but my little 7 year old pallet adored it. Especially what the motherly cafeteria ladies had dubbed Mexican Pizza. This culinary experiment of theirs turned out to be a traditional saucy cheese pizza only where one expected white mozzarella there was a bright orange pile of gooey cheddar cheese. Oh, & a bit of sausage was tossed on top for good measure. What made this Mexican I'll never know.

Now I know a bit more than that little kid enamored with orange greasy pizza & have come up with a Mexican Pizza of my own. Crisp whole wheat tortillas & pungent chorizo (typically a raw pork sausage infused with smoked red peppers) make this "pizza" flavorful & light. Try it with fresh pico de gallo, sour crean, &/or avocado slices. Oh, and a cold Mexian beer is a must!

Mexican Chorizo Pizza
adapted from Emeril Lagasse
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/4 lb. chorizo, rough chopped*
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 small yukon gold potatoes, boiled, peeled and diced
1 tsp. dried oregano, devided
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 (12 or 14-inch) flour or whole wheat tortillas

10 oz. grated monterey jack
1/4 c. queso fresca*
1 roasted red pepper, sliced
3 tbsp. of your favorite salsa

1/4 c. of your favorite pico de gallo

Saute the onions & garlic until fragrant & soft (about 5 minutes) in a bit of salt & olive oil. Add the chorizo & cook through (about 4 minutes) then add the potatoes, cumin, & a pinch of salt. Cook for a moment longer & remove from heat.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Spread about half of the monterey jack & queso fresca between two tortillas & sprinkle the cheese with half of the dried oregano. Cook for about 10 minutes, flipping often, until the cheese is melted & the tortilla had browned. Place the "crust" on a baking sheet.

Top the "crust" with the salsa (as you would a pizza sauce), then sprinkle with a few tablespoons of the pico de gallo. Top with the chorizo mixture & a bit more cheese. Arrange sliced red pepper over the chorizo. Finally top the "pizza" with the remaining cheese & a dusting of dried oregano.

Bake at 400 for 10 - 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted & the "crust" has turned golden brown & crisp. Slice as you would a pizza & serve with more pico de gallo, avocado slices, sour cream, scallions, salsa, or anything else that appeals to you!

*These items can be found at speciality markets & Mexican grocery stores.