Need recipe for public school Mexican pizza

[A.J.'s MOM]

Hi. I am looking for a recipe for the Mexican pizza public schools used to serve. I grew up in Broward County, FL and went to high school in early 90s. My friends and I still talk about the Mexican pizza to this day and would love to recreate it at home. It had a thick doughy crust (not quite pizza crust, not tortillas) with holes poked in it. a spicy meat sauce and cheese on top. Can any one help me out? Thanks.

[Tracy K]

I remember this stuff!! I went to junior high school in Palm Beach County and we had the same thing... it was pretty tasty, though I don't know that it would stand the test of time, LOL.

Believe it or not, I think yours is the second request I've seen for this same item... but I never did find a recipe.

[:(]

Have you tried using flatbread or something like pita, and topping it with taco-seasoned ground beef, enchilada or ranchera sauce and cheddar?
Whatever they did, it was probably simple, because institutional food is often economical and streamlined since they have to prepare food for a lot of people all at once. jmo

[A.J.'s MOM]

That's what I was thinking, too. Thank you.

[Tracy K]

Sue L wrote:
Have you tried using flatbread or something like pita, and topping it with taco-seasoned ground beef, enchilada or ranchera sauce and cheddar?
Whatever they did, it was probably simple, because institutional food is often economical and streamlined since they have to prepare food for a lot of people all at once. jmo

Flatbread or pita is not the same texture at all... this was more like crescent roll dough, slightly underbaked (which might make a good sub). It was oddly doughy. It had strange tangy orange-ish sauce with no discernible spices, and nuggets of very low-quality sausage-like meat, with institutional cheddar. (Sounds delicious, eh? But I did like it back in the day!)

I know for a fact it came frozen... it was also this bizarre hexagonal or octagonal shape...

[:(]

Tracy K wrote:

Sue L wrote:
Have you tried using flatbread or something like pita, and topping it with taco-seasoned ground beef, enchilada or ranchera sauce and cheddar?
Whatever they did, it was probably simple, because institutional food is often economical and streamlined since they have to prepare food for a lot of people all at once. jmo

Flatbread or pita is not the same texture at all... this was more like crescent roll dough, slightly underbaked (which might make a good sub). It was oddly doughy. It had strange tangy orange-ish sauce with no discernible spices, and nuggets of very low-quality sausage-like meat, with institutional cheddar. (Sounds delicious, eh? But I did like it back in the day!)

I know for a fact it came frozen... it was also this bizarre hexagonal or octagonal shape...

Pillsbury crescents sound like the way to go then, although that's probably not what was used.
If I had to guess why the color was a bit orange, I would have to take a stab and say it was the oil/grease content. Sort of in the same area as cheeses that have been made from oil?
Of course, we can use much higher quality ingredients if we prefer.

[Tracy K]

Sue L wrote:
Pillsbury crescents sound like the way to go then, although that's probably not what was used.
If I had to guess why the color was a bit orange, I would have to take a stab and say it was the oil/grease content. Sort of in the same area as cheeses that have been made from oil?
Of course, we can use much higher quality ingredients if we prefer.

Heh. We could, but not if trying to recreate that particular childhood pleasure.

I do love a decent mexican pizza, though... I usually do mine more like a tostada, on corn tortillas with refried beans mixed with salsa for the sauce, taco meat, cheese and sour cream to garnish.

[Vina]

A.J.'s MOM wrote:
Hi. I am looking for a recipe for the Mexican pizza public schools used to serve. I grew up in Broward County, FL and went to high school in early 90s. My friends and I still talk about the Mexican pizza to this day and would love to recreate it at home. It had a thick doughy crust (not quite pizza crust, not tortillas) with holes poked in it. a spicy meat sauce and cheese on top. Can any one help me out? Thanks.

My kids were served these in the 80's and we live in Minnesota. Must have been a nationwide company that made them. They were hexagonal and came completely made and frozen. All the cooks had to do was stick them in the ovens and prepare the sides. (Usually corn and a green salad.) My 28 yr. old daughter was just talking about them on Thanksgiving. I remember eating them a couple of times and they were good! I think the crust was a wheat flour/corn meal yeast concoction and I think the orange color came from a combo of fat, spices, and cheap cheddar type cheese. Anyway, if anyone knows of a good substitute or a place to buy these, there's more than one of us that would like to know about it!

[Julesong]

Vina wrote:

A.J.'s MOM wrote:
Hi. I am looking for a recipe for the Mexican pizza public schools used to serve. I grew up in Broward County, FL and went to high school in early 90s. My friends and I still talk about the Mexican pizza to this day and would love to recreate it at home. It had a thick doughy crust (not quite pizza crust, not tortillas) with holes poked in it. a spicy meat sauce and cheese on top. Can any one help me out? Thanks.

My kids were served these in the 80's and we live in Minnesota. Must have been a nationwide company that made them. They were hexagonal and came completely made and frozen. All the cooks had to do was stick them in the ovens and prepare the sides. (Usually corn and a green salad.) My 28 yr. old daughter was just talking about them on Thanksgiving. I remember eating them a couple of times and they were good! I think the crust was a wheat flour/corn meal yeast concoction and I think the orange color came from a combo of fat, spices, and cheap cheddar type cheese. Anyway, if anyone knows of a good substitute or a place to buy these, there's more than one of us that would like to know about it!

Could talk to the school districts that served it and find out who produced them, perhaps. Then contact the producer.

[Vina]

Julesong wrote:

Vina wrote:

A.J.'s MOM wrote:
Hi. I am looking for a recipe for the Mexican pizza public schools used to serve. I grew up in Broward County, FL and went to high school in early 90s. My friends and I still talk about the Mexican pizza to this day and would love to recreate it at home. It had a thick doughy crust (not quite pizza crust, not tortillas) with holes poked in it. a spicy meat sauce and cheese on top. Can any one help me out? Thanks.

My kids were served these in the 80's and we live in Minnesota. Must have been a nationwide company that made them. They were hexagonal and came completely made and frozen. All the cooks had to do was stick them in the ovens and prepare the sides. (Usually corn and a green salad.) My 28 yr. old daughter was just talking about them on Thanksgiving. I remember eating them a couple of times and they were good! I think the crust was a wheat flour/corn meal yeast concoction and I think the orange color came from a combo of fat, spices, and cheap cheddar type cheese. Anyway, if anyone knows of a good substitute or a place to buy these, there's more than one of us that would like to know about it!

Could talk to the school districts that served it and find out who produced them, perhaps. Then contact the producer.

Hey, good idea!! (I'm such a dunce...I work at the school that served these.) The cooks are all different, but one of them may remember or know of someone who would. Thanks!!

[Nose]

Here's a recipe. It doesn't have a recipe for the crust, though.

http://www.hungrybrowser.com/phaedrus/m1008W03.htm#4

[Heather Beldin]

Hey I know what your talking about and I went to school in Pettisville Ohio. They were good pizzas and I graduated in 1999. Our school got them from Gorton's Food. Or it is spelled Gordon's Food.. all i know is that is where they come from and Gordon's is located in Toledo Ohio I dont know if that is worth looking up hope this helped ya some..

[Nose]

I just found that Aramark company also makes Mexican pizzas.

http://www.aramark.com/transition.asp?industry=School_Districts&service=Food_Service

[Heather Beldin]

Here is the phone number for the Gordon's Food Service.. This is the one that does area school's and has those pizza's.. I remember the pizza boats that were the mexican pizzas..and it was so good.. and i remember the holes in the dough too.. the orange tint was the grease though lol.. but it was sooooo good too lol but here is the number if ya need it...419-478-5444 good luck

[Heather Beldin]

http://www.recipegoldmine.com/pizza/pizza111.html here is another mexican pizza recipe.. it uses boboli for the crust..