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Pineapple and Bacon French Bread Pizza

By Jessica Rudolph

Published on April 21, 2020

Time

1 hour

Yield

Serves 4

Pineapple and Bacon French Bread Pizza

Ingredients

Pizza

1 (24 by 4-inch) loaf soft French bread 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 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)¾ cup crumbled cooked bacon ¾ cup canned pineapple tidbits, drained and patted dry

Sauce

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 pepper

Before 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

    for the pizza

  1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut 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 oil.
  2. Combine melted butter, granulated garlic, salt, and 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.
  3. for the sauce

  4. Meanwhile, combine all ingredients in bowl. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
  5. Spread sauce evenly over toasted bread, then top with mozzarella, followed by Parmesan, bacon, and pineapple (in that order). Bake until cheese is melted and spotty brown, about 15 minutes. Let pizza cool for 5 minutes. Serve.
Pineapple and Bacon French Bread Pizza
Photography by Steve Klise. Styling by Elle Simone.

Pineapple and Bacon French Bread Pizza

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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
2 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)
¾ cup crumbled cooked bacon
¾ cup canned pineapple tidbits, drained and patted dry

Sauce

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 pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

Pizza

1 (24 by 4-inch) loaf soft French bread
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 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)
¾ cup crumbled cooked bacon
¾ cup canned pineapple tidbits, drained and patted dry

Sauce

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 pepper

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

Pizza

1 (24 by 4-inch) loaf soft French bread
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 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)
¾ cup crumbled cooked bacon
¾ cup canned pineapple tidbits, drained and patted dry

Sauce

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 pepper

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 with the perfect sweet-and-savory combo of crumbled crispy bacon and canned pineapple tidbits, which we patted dry to prevent the pizzas from getting soggy.

Before 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

    for the pizza

  1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut 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 oil.
  2. Combine melted butter, granulated garlic, salt, and 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.
  3. for the sauce

  4. Meanwhile, combine all ingredients in bowl. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)
  5. Spread sauce evenly over toasted bread, then top with mozzarella, followed by Parmesan, bacon, and pineapple (in that order). Bake until cheese is melted and spotty brown, about 15 minutes. Let pizza cool for 5 minutes. Serve.

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