The Possible Reason Your Pizza Quesadilla Turned Into A Soggy Mess
Fusion fare might seem like a fancy restaurant term, but it's culinary experimentation that is responsible for many popular combinations we tend to savor over. Take, for instance, sushi burritos, curry risotto, and bánh mì sandwiches (the latter is actually a blend of French and Southeast Asian influences), notes MasterClass. Another favorite you can add to the list is a fusion dish that's cheesy, tomatoey, and tastes just like a pizza: a pizzadilla.
MasterClass states that a pizzadilla, or a pizza quesadilla, is a quesadilla that's stuffed with pepperoni, sauce, and pretty much any other pizza-related ingredient you can think of. You can also add toppings on top of the tortilla to make it look like a pizza, according to Serious Eats.
There are several variations, such as a birria pizzadilla with refried beans, cheese, and seasoned meat or a BBQ chicken pizzadilla that's been deep-fried and topped with sauce, cheese, and pepperoni slices (per Mexicali Blue and PMQ Pizza Media). MasterClass shares that those with certain dietary needs can also opt for low-carb tortillas, gluten-free tortillas, or various veggies like mushrooms and spinach.
Like other culinary pursuits, though, cooking a pizzadilla may come with some pitfalls. One of the biggest ones has to do with a potentially soggy texture instead of a crispy exterior. Here's why sogginess may occur and how to avoid it in the future.
Too much sauce is a recipe for disaster
While it's tempting to load up a pizza quesadilla with a copious amount of sauce, MasterClass advises against this, as doing so makes the whole thing a soppy mess. So how much pizza sauce is acceptable? Well, the answer varies depending on the recipe and whether or not you plan on adding toppings to the top of the quesadilla.
If you don't want to add anything, MasterClass suggests it's best to use a ¼ cup of sauce per pizzadilla (which consists of two regular-sized tortillas). The sauce should also be spread on just one tortilla, not both.
But if you want to make your pizzadilla look like a pizza on top, Serious Eats recommends using a ¾ cup of sauce instead. Take half of the sauce amount and pour it on top of the tortilla inside the skillet, followed by cheese. Add the second tortilla on top, crisp up the bottom side, and flip it. You can take the second half of the sauce and use it as a little pizza base for the top of the tortilla, adding cheese, basil, sausage, and pepperoni to your liking.
Before biting into your creation, feel free to dunk each pizzadilla wedge into a side of marinara sauce for even more tomatoey goodness. It's a way of getting more sauce into each bite without the soggy mess.