It’s thin, but is it pizza?

How thin can a pizza get? Any thinner than this and it would not hold, that’s for sure. The bread is crusty — all crust, in fact — light, and crispy. Like tortilla, you could say. And you’d be right.

I came upon the tortillas while rummaging in the freezer. They were a good three months past their use-by date. Now for someone who is a stickler for the freshest vegetable, meat, or fish, I am quite cavalier about “expired” processed food. As long as it doesn’t smell funny, and there is no visible mold, rust (if canned), or discoloration, then that’s okay with me. (If that makes you cringe, you might want to read this before you proceed.)

And then there was the cheese. I purchased the mozzarella (lots of it) before Noynoy Aquino became president, and it looks like it will see the Binay administration as well. I can’t decide which would be worse. Between Binay and the cheese, I mean, though I can tell you that the cheese is fine as of this writing. In fact, I’m willing to wager that, once baked, you can not tell our cheese from that in commercial pizza. The question is whether you’d still be willing to taste the dish after what I have just told you.

But it sure looks good, no? The bread has a nice char on both sides, and for that I have to thank Kenji López-Alt, who demonstrates that it is possible to re-create Neapolitan pizza at home (not that I was trying to make one, let’s be very clear about that). The trick is to assemble the whole thing in a preheated pan or skillet, with the flame at full blast. The bottom of the dough starts to develop a crust while you slather on the sauce and add the cheese and other toppings. As soon as you have done this, slide skillet under a broiler (also preheated) until the cheese melts and the top crust is charred. Remove, slice, serve.

Speaking of Neapolitan style, it’s interesting how the flimsiness of the tortilla discourages topping overload (hear that, Greenwich?), so you get something that looks rustic and (dare I say) old-school Italian. It makes for light fare, perfect as a party appetizer or simply as a quick snack. And it takes less than five minutes to make, prep time included.

Is it pizza though? Now there’s a good pun, although that is probably not what’s foremost on your mind right now. I don’t blame you. Yes — we ate it, it was good for what it was, and we’re still alive. Thanks for the concern.