On game night, instead of ordering a pie from your favorite pizzeria, slice open a baguette and prepare French bread pizza at home. This fun and interactive dish is a great way to get everyone in the kitchen and then watch the game together. Ordering pizza for a crowd can be a trying task because you are attempting to accommodate everyone's request. Some prefer just cheese while others like their pizza loaded with veggies and meat. Homemade French bread immediately eliminates that stress because each person can customize their own. I like to offer two sauces, cheese and 4 to 5 additional toppings.
French Bread Pizzas
Ingredients:
For the bread:
1 large baguette, sliced in half
1/4 cup butter
1 garlic clove, finely minced
For the toppings:
Sauce:
tomato sauce
pesto sauce
Alfredo sauce
barbecue sauce
Cheese:
2 cups shredded cheese (you'll want one that melts well like mozzarella)
1/2 grated parmesan
Vegetables:
tomatoes, sliced
bell pepper, sliced
mushrooms, sliced
olives, sliced
red or white onion, sliced
fresh basil
Meat:
ground Italian sausage
pepperoni
Canadian bacon
roasted chicken
Directions:
Step 1: Preheat the broiler to the highest setting. While heating cover a baking sheet with foil.
Step 2: In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the minced garlic. Pour the melted butter into a bowl and using a pastry brush, sweep on the garlic butter. Broil the baguette for 2 to 4 minutes until slightly golden. Remove from oven and set aside. Slice the baguette into individual pieces (usually 4 to 6)
Step 3: Top each piece of bread with desired sauce, cheese and toppings. Place the pizzas back in the oven and cook for an additional 2 to 4 minutes until the cheese has melted and the toppings are heated through. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
Image Sources:
