Recipe courtesy of Asian Food Network
This easy-to-share, pull-apart 'pizzadilla' has become a family favourite over the course of community quarantine in the Philippines.
Switch out the typical doughy pizza base for a soft-shelled tortilla and add on toppings of cheese, pepperoni slices and beef. To balance out the big, meaty flavours, it's paired with a citrusy mango salsa and zesty yoghurt-lemon garlic sauce.
The tortilla wrap is homemade, but you can also use store-bought ones. This taco pizza's a big nod to Mexican inspirations of salsa and quesadillas, which has influenced so much Filipino food.
Ingredients
Serves 8-10
For the homemade tortilla:
- 192g all-purpose flour
- 120ml hot water
- 5 tbsp canola oil
- 0.5 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp salt.
For the white garlic sauce:
- 100g plain Greek yoghurt
- 80ml mayonnaise
- 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 0.5 tsp cumin powder
- a pinch of salt
- a pinch of pepper.
For the taco beef:
- 500g ground beef
- 120ml hot water
- 26g white onion, diced
- 7 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 sachet taco seasoning.
For the guacamole:
- 1 avocado, skin and seed removed, diced
- 3g cilantro, chopped
- 3 tbsp white onion, diced
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 0.5 tsp cumin powder
- a pinch of salt
- a pinch of pepper.
For the mango salsa:
- 100g ripe mango, skin and seed removed, diced
- 142g tomatoes. diced
- 26g white onion, diced
- 3g cilantro, leave roughly chopped
- 1.5 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- a pinch of sugar
- a pinch of salt
- a pinch of pepper.
Toppings:
- 100g grated mozzarella cheese
- 85g tomato puree, or tomato sauce
- 6 slices pepperoni
- chopped cilantro or chopped spring onion (optional garnish).
Directions
1. Make the homemade tortilla
In a mixing bowl, add the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt, mix briefly.
To the bowl, add five tablespoons of canola oil and 120ml hot water.
Mix slowly for two minutes until you achieve a sticky consistency and the dough is smooth with no lumps. Make sure you don't over-mix or else the dough will become tough.
Scatter flour on a silicone mat. Shape the dough into a round shape, divide it into four portions and cover with parchment paper or a kitchen towel and set aside to rest for 15 minutes.
After letting the dough rest, apply another thin layer of flour on the silicone mat and your rolling pin so the dough won't stick.
Flatten the dough with a rolling pin until it's thin and almost translucent.
Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat and put a little bit of oil in it. Lightly fry the tortilla for about two minutes, or until you see bubbles form on the surface. Then flip it to cook on the other side.
Once cooked, remove from heat and set aside to cool.
You can replace the homemade tortilla with store-bought ones to save time, but a homemade tortilla makes the dish more delicious! It's softer and tastier than the store-bought ones.
2. Prepare the white garlic sauce
In a separate mixing bowl, add the ingredients for the white garlic sauce - Greek yoghurt, mayonnaise, chopped garlic, lemon juice and cumin powder - and mix to combine well.
Add a pinch of salt and pepper and mix well. Taste and adjust it to your preference. Set the sauce aside until ready to serve.
3. Prepare the taco beef
Preheat the oven at 200C for 10 to 15 minutes - this is for baking the pizzadila later.
In a mixing bowl, add the taco seasoning and 120ml of hot water.
Heat up cooking oil in a pan on medium heat.
When the oil is hot, sauté the white onion and garlic until fragrant, then add the ground beef to the pan.
Cook the ground beef until it is lightly browned, then add the taco seasoning. Mix well and allow some of the liquid to evaporate.
Drain the beef to remove excess oil. This makes for a healthier topping.
You can substitute the ground beef with ground pork, chicken, or any leftover meat you have available. Just finely chop the meat, then sauté it in a pan with the chopped onions, garlic and the taco seasoning.
4. Prepare the guacamole
In a medium-sized bowl, use a fork to mash up the avocado.
To the bowl, add the cilantro, white onion, lemon juice, cumin powder, salt and pepper.
Mix to combine well, then cover with plastic wrap and set aside until ready to serve.
If avocados are not available, you can skip making the guacamole.
5. Prepare the mango salsa
- In a separate mixing bowl, add the ingredients for the mango salsa: mango, tomatoes, white onion, cilantro, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Mix gently to combine, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in the fridge to chill until ready to serve.
6. Assemble the pizzadilla and bake
- To assemble the pizzadilla, start with a tortilla on a clean, flat surface.
- Sprinkle on a thin layer of grated cheese, followed by a layer of taco beef and more grated cheese.
- Add another tortilla. Spread a thin layer of the tomato sauce just like how you would on a pizza.
- Sprinkle on some mozzarella cheese and top with sliced pepperoni. The pizzadilla is now ready for baking.
- Place the pizzadilla into the preheated oven to bake until the cheese melts.
Try your best to use mozzarella cheese for the final layer for that stretchy 'pizza' cheese. You can use other types of cheese for the filling, but for the top layer, mozzarella works best.
You may substitute pepperoni with any other topping of your choice, like bacon, ham, pineapple or mushrooms.
7. Plate and serve
After the cheese has melted, remove the pizzadilla from the oven and place onto your serving plate.
Top the pizzadilla with the guacamole and white garlic sauce.
Serve with the chilled mango salsa on the side, and a dish of the leftover garlic sauce as a dip. Garnish with chopped cilantro or spring onion (optional).
Asian Food Network
