Easy French Bread Pizza

We are all about pizza in this house. Sometimes you just need to speed things up a bit, and that’s when you turn to this recipe. When cheese and bread unite, it’s an awesome, mouth-watering combination. I feel like an artist with a canvas when I assemble pizza creations. What’s remarkable about this little recipe is you secretly spice up a store-bought loaf of French bread with a delicious buttery, garlic base. You also give it a homemade flare by adding freshly ground mozzarella.

Easy French Bread Pizza

Description

Easy French Bread Pizza

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

pinch red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley or basil leaves, or a mix

Kosher salt

1 large loaf French or Italian bread (see the note above), about 18 inches long and 4 inches wide, split half lengthwise and crosswise

1 (14.5 ounces) jar pizza sauce

Turkey pepperoni (approximately 20 slices)

8 ounces freshly grated mozzarella cheese

2 ounces freshly grated Asiago cheese

instructions

Heat butter and olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Add garlic, pepper flakes, and oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in half of parsley/basil and a pinch of salt. Remove from heat.

Place bread cut-side-up on a clean work surface. Press down evenly on bread until somewhat compressed. Place bread on top of a baking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush half of the garlic/butter/oil mixture evenly over the bread.

Place the bread under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes. Watch carefully so as not to burn. Remove and set aside.

Add pizza sauce to remaining garlic/butter/oil mixture in the pan, stir to combine, increase heat to medium, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Season to taste with salt.

While sauce cooks spread 1/4 of mozzarella evenly over the surface of bread and transfer to oven. Adjust oven rack to upper position and preheat oven to 375°F. Cook until cheese is barely melted, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until sauce is cooked.

Spread sauce evenly over bread, then spread remaining mozzarella on top of the sauce, and add the pepperoni slices. Transfer to oven and bake until cheese is melted and just starting to brown, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with Asiago and remaining parsley/basil. Allow to cool slightly and serve.