Pepperoni French Bread Pizza
By Jessica RudolphPublished on April 20, 2020
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Pizza
1 (24 by 4-inch) loaf soft French bread 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted2 teaspoons granulated garlic ½ teaspoon table salt ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 12 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (3 cups)1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)2 ounces thinly sliced pepperoniSauce
1 ½ cups canned crushed tomatoes 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning ½ teaspoon sugar ½ teaspoon table salt ½ teaspoon pepperBefore You Begin
A 24 by 4-inch loaf of supermarket French bread, which has a soft, thin crust and fine crumb, works best here. If you can't find soft French bread, you can substitute one and a half 18-inch baguettes, though the crust will be slightly tougher. Cut the baguettes into six equal pieces, and distribute the toppings evenly.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Cut 1 (24 by 4-inch) loaf soft French bread in half crosswise, then halve each piece horizontally to create 4 equal pieces. Arrange pieces cut side down on prepared sheet. Brush crust with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil.
- Combine 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; 2 teaspoons granulated garlic; ½ teaspoon table salt; and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes in bowl. Flip bread cut side up and brush cut side evenly with melted butter mixture.
- Bake, cut side up, until browned around edges, about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine 1½ cups canned crushed tomatoes, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1½ teaspoons Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon table salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in bowl. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
- Spread sauce evenly over toasted bread, then top with 12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese, followed by 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese and 2 ounces thinly sliced pepperoni.
- Bake until cheese is melted and spotty brown, about 15 minutes. Let pizza cool for 5 minutes. Serve.
for the pizza
for the sauce
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Soft supermarket French bread stands in as a hearty, crusty alternative for pizza dough in this speedy pizza recipe. (Baguettes can be substituted but will result in a slightly tougher crust.) We upped the flavor ante by giving the loaf a garlic-bread treatment before topping it, brushing the cut side with a spicy garlic butter and the crusty side with olive oil and then baking it until toasty brown and crispy. A stir-together mix of crushed tomatoes, olive oil, Italian seasoning, and sugar made a bold and bright pizza sauce. Using both mozzarella and Parmesan gave us the perfect balance of melty creaminess and nutty depth. We topped these pizzas simply with a classic smattering of sliced pepperoni.
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