Mexican Crostata

I had my parents over for dinner on the weekend and this is what I served. This recipe is always a huge favorite with the kids. It looks impressive but it is really very simple to make. It also slices very nicely into wedges for serving. I tried to move the whole thing onto a fancier plate for the "photo shoot" but the crostata had other ideas, so I decided to serve it from my pizza pan. It would be really nice to have a baking stone for things like this - hint hint, Mario if you're reading this, Mother's Day is just around the corner ... but I also still want the waffle iron and the ice cream machine and - oh wait, ahem yes, the Mexican Crostata......

Mexican Crostata

1 onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 tsp tex mex seasoning
1 small can chopped green chiles
2 cans Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (I use whole wheat)
2 plum tomatoes
Parmesan Cheese

1. Brown beef with onions, garlic and green pepper. Drain fat.

2. Mix in salsa, cheese, chiles and seasoning.

3. Spray pizza pan with cooking spray. Start laying out the crescent rolls with the long points the middle (like a big pinwheel with 16 points). At least a few inches of each triangle should be hanging off the edge of the pan. Press with your fingers to well seal all the seams, leave the last few inches that are hanging off the pan unsealed.

4. Spoon filling in center. Begin folding each triangle over the mixture, overlapping with slices of tomato. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 375F.