Baking Pizza With Wraps

By: J. C. Thomas

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It only takes a little imagination to use flatbread wraps, intended to contain sandwich-type fillings, as a substitute for pizza crust. Baking a wrap covered in typical pizza toppings – or more unusual ones if you want to get creative – is a quick and easy way to get a meal or snack on the table, and a convenient and tasty way to use up leftovers. Within minutes in the oven, the wrap will transform into a thin, crispy crust while the toppings get toasted and enveloped in melted cheese.

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you're using a pizza stone, stick it into the oven to allow it to preheat as well.

Step 2

Spread out a sheet of parchment paper and arrange the wraps on top. Parchment paper is optional, but makes it easy to transfer prepared pizzas to the pizza stone. If you are using a cookie sheet instead of a pizza stone, spread the parchment paper on the cookie sheet and place the wraps on top. This makes clean-up a breeze.

Step 3

Spread sauce over the surface of each wrap using a butter knife. You can use a traditional tomato-based pizza sauce, or try something different such as pesto, salsa or tapenade. If you are using a soft cheese like ricotta, spread it on the wrap in place of or as well as the sauce.

Step 4

Arrange a flavorful main topping, such as pepperoni, finely sliced mushrooms, crumbled cooked sausage or thin slices of ham, over the sauce. Leave room for other toppings, if you are adding them, but distribute the pieces evenly over the whole wrap.

Step 5

Add a vegetable for a contrast in flavor, placing the pieces in the gaps you left between the other toppings. Thinly sliced red or green onion, quartered cherry tomatoes, slivers of bell pepper and sliced olives all work well.

Step 6

Arrange a few sprigs of a leafy topping for a textural and visual contrast. You can use a flavorful salad leaf, such as spinach or arugula, or some fresh herbs like basil or oregano. Tear larger leaves into smaller pieces.

Step 7

Sprinkle any additional toppings of your choice to complement the flavors of the other toppings. Consider chopped nuts for some crunch, frozen corn kernels for sweetness, or jalapenos to add some heat.

Step 8

Scatter crumbled, grated or thinly sliced cheese or cheeses over the other toppings. A vegetable peeler is ideal for paring thin shreds off a block of hard cheese like Parmesan.

Step 9

Season the pizza with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Go easy on the salt or omit it entirely if you have used especially salty toppings, such as ham and feta. Dried Italian herbs, chili flakes and a drizzle of garlic-infused olive oil are also good seasoning options.

Step 10

Transfer the pizzas to the oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Keep your eye on the pizzas as they cook. They are done when the cheese is melted or toasted, the toppings have wilted down to meld together and the crust has crisped up and turned golden without becoming too dark. Pull the pizzas out as soon as they look done. Because the wraps are so thin, an extra minute or two can be the difference between a burned, ruined pizza and a perfect one.