French Bread Pizza

It's hot!  No, it is beyond hot, and just getting hotter.  Who wants to run their oven when it's 100 degrees outside?

Normally, I do not.  But, I was craving some pizza and didn't want to spend the money on restaurant type pizza.  I made the list and sent poor hubby out in the heat to gather the needed items.  It was much cheaper than buying a frozen one or one at a restaurant.  And the cost included the salad.

If you do a search for French Bread Pizza, you'll get a ga-zillion hits!  If you ever made it before, which I have not, you will see that everyone's is the best.  I'm not saying it isn't.  Nor am I agreeing with them.  I think pizza, in any form, is designed for one's taste.  It's personable.  It's individual likings. And that is what makes it so perfect and the best.  And, if I even thought about trying all of them to see whose reined supreme, I'd be as big as the side of a barn!

My wonderful son being the 'model'.

In my search for a 'how-to' I noticed a lot of photos and the bread was soaked in sauce.  Again, some might like that.  I do not.  So, I searched for a way to prevent this.  I found many more sites that have great suggestions.  I took a couple of them and combined them and came up with a wonderfully crusty-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside-not-soaked-bread.   Is it the best?  To me, and my boys, it is!

Here I will attempt to explain how I did this.

Cut your french bread in half.  Take a large cookie sheet and smash the bread down.  In a sauce pan, combine 1/4 cup of olive oil and butter.  Melt the butter.  Once it's hot, turn off the stove and add about 2 tablespoons of minced garlic and 1 teaspoon of oregano.  Let this sit for about a minute, swirling the mixture to combine.  Take a brush and brush the mixture onto the bread (you will not use all of this) and then add a small amount of cheese (your choice).  You just want to cover the top lightly with the cheese.  Heat oven to 500 degrees.  I know, but it works.  Place your bread on a cookie sheet side by side and place in the oven.  Cook until the edges are just beginning to brown and cheese is melted.  Remove from the oven, but leave the oven on.  Add the sauce, and some cheese. Then, add whatever toppings you like.  We added bacon, pepperoni, hamburger, tomatoes (from the garden) red pepper, mushrooms, and red onion.    We had a red theme going on.  Top with a LOT of cheese.  We used Fiesta blend.  Place inside the oven and let this cook for 5-7 minutes.  Turn off the oven and let the pizza sit inside for about 5 minutes.  Remove the pizza, cut and serve.

This was just amazing!  The inside of the bread was soft and not soaking wet with sauce and the outside of it was crusty.  The flavors were prefect, too.

Some hints:
Smashing the bread will prevent the edges from curling too much.
Adding the butter/oil/garlic mixture and cheese helps the sauce stay on top and not soak too much into the bread. And it adds a nice flavor. :)

This is also a great recipe for a family to do together.  From the choosing of the toppings, and cheese, to the preparations, to the cooking and of course, the eating.

I would love to hear what you have done with French Bread.  Let me know.