French Bread Pizza with Roasted Garlic and Pancetta

We eat a lot of pizza in our house. It’s an easy meal, and well….they’re good. I don’t make a lot of the homemade kind, but if I’m in the mood for one but I don’t feel like breaking out pizza dough, I turn to the humble French bread. It’s sturdy so you can really load on the toppings if you want.

Have any of you tried roasted garlic on a pizza? It’s amazing. Hubby and I both love garlic, and I have enjoyed a white pizza or two with that as a topping, but never with a red sauce. I thought I’d give that a try along with some diced pancetta that I had bought recently. I can honestly tell you, it was so good. I think it’s become one of my favorite homemade pizzas. My friends, I so wish I could reach thru the screen and give you a taste so you can sigh in contentment along with me. There’s a lot of love here. First, there is the bread ….ahhh the bread. It’s crunchy on the outside but pillowy soft on the inside. There is a layer of zesty pizza sauce followed by the sweet, creamy roasted garlic, then lots of cheese (and we know everything is better with cheese). Then there is the crispy, lovely pancetta that is sprinkled all over the top. *sigh* My mouth is already watering just thinking about it.

So if your taste buds are calling out to you to try it too, here’s what you need:

*a large loaf of French bread. I used a wider variety rather than the skinnier baguette

*pizza sauce

*1 bulb of garlic

*olive oil

*salt and pepper to taste

*pinch of dried sage to taste

*2 tsp butter; softened

*diced pancetta

*shredded cheese; I used a mozzarella and mild cheddar blend

*shredded parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°.

Cut off the top part of the garlic. Place the garlic on foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap loosely and cook for about 35 to 40 minutes or until the cloves are soft and turn golden. Let it cool until it’s cool enough to handle.

Squeeze the garlic out of the skins and into a small bowl. Sprinkle in the salt, pepper, sage and add the butter. With the back of a fork, begin mashing the garlic mixture until it forms a rough paste.

Set aside.

Turn the oven up to 425°

In a small skillet with a small amount of olive oil, cook the pancetta on medium high heat until it starts to turn crispy; drain if needed and set aside.

Cut the bread in half horizontally and place on a baking sheet. Spoon a desired amount of pizza sauce on to each half.

Drop some of the garlic mixture on top of the pizza sauce.

Layer on a desired amount of cheese over the garlic mixture.

Sprinkle the pancetta all over the cheese.

Bake until cheese is melted and the bread starts to turn golden and crispy.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the shredded parmesan cheese.

Cut into serving sizes and Enjoy!

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It’s A New Year and A New Country

I’m still cooking my way through as many countries as I can. This next stop is

Italy

The dish I chose for this country is

Pizza Margherita

I really had a tough time choosing what to cook from Italy. I am such a pasta lover and I know that most of the “Italian” dishes we have here in the states are more Americanized. Don’t get me wrong, I love them but I really wanted to keep this as authentic as I could, so I chose not a pasta dish at all, but pizza….and one of my hubby’s favorite at that.

One of my hubby’s favorite pizza is a Pizza Margherita ( or as some call it a Margherita Pizza). I’ve eaten a few slices in my time and I can understand why my hubby loves it so much. I knew the color of the basil, mozzarella and the sauce represented the colors of the Italian flag, but I never really thought about the history behind it and is it truly an Italian pizza, not one born here in the US?

I did indeed find that yes, it is originally from Naples, Italy.

Should I point out that while I was doing this research I was savoring a few slices of pepperoni and bacon pizza….which does not originally come from Italy, but what can I say, I’m a pizza lover of just about any type and on a side note, typing while holding said pizza can get a little messy….I’m just saying.

Getting back to the topic at hand…

It is believed that in 1889 King Umberto and his wife Queen Margherita of Savoy visited Naples. The queen grew tired of the French cuisine that was offered. She asked Raffaele Esposito, chef of Pizzeria Brandi to create a pizza for her, for she had already heard of the Neapolitan pizza and wanted to try one. He created 3 for her, one with cheese and basil, one with garlic and one with tomato, mozzarella and basil. She liked the 3rd so much that Esposito named the pizza after her. Whether the story is indeed true or not, it has grown into one of the most recognizable symbol of Italian food culture.

I’ve made a lot of pizza, but never this type so I really wanted to do it justice….and well, impress the hubby. It did turn out a little rustic and maybe not as pretty as some I have seen, but the taste was well….heavenly. The sauce is a simple sauce, like a Pizza Margherita should be, and I have to admit I had to restrain myself not to add any herbs and I’m so glad that I didn’t because less is truly more. The fresh mozzarella and the basil add such a wonderful flavor. When using fresh mozzarella, look for the kind that is not packed in water, but if that is all that you can find be sure to drain it really well. Also, use fresh basil leaves, not the dried kind because it truly does make a difference.

I did use a store bought pizza dough, but you can make your own of course. If you are going to use pre made dough, look for a good quality kind. Some pizza places even sell their dough as well. The only thing that I will do differently the next time that I make this, is to make the dough thinner because it did come out a little thicker than I intended, but the flavor was really good.

Here’s what you need to make your own:

*1 LB Pizza dough; pre made or your favorite recipe (this will make 2 pizzas)

*olive oil

*28 oz. can San Marzano whole tomatoes

*salt and pepper to taste

*2 large garlic clove grated with a microplane or pressed

*Mozzarella, fresh and not packed in water or drained and pat dry with a paper towel.

*Basil leaves

Prepare dough according to package directions or follow your favorite recipe

Divide into two balls and drizzle with olive oil.

Preheat oven to 450°.

In a blender add the tomatoes and blend until smooth; pour into a bowl.

Stir in the salt, pepper, 1 tsp. olive oil and the garlic.

Brush pizza pans with olive oil.

Stretch dough into roughly a 10 inch circle…or as best as you can. If the dough is too elastic, let rest for 5 minutes.

Spoon some of the sauce onto each pizza dough.

Tear a few large pieces of the mozzarella and place it evenly around the pizza.

Tear the basil leaves and place on top of the mozzarella. I know some add the basil after the pizza has been cooked, but I like mine cooked with the pizza. It’s your choice.

Drizzle a little olive oil over the pizza.

Bake for 12 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly.

Cut into slices and serve.

Enjoy!

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Homemade Pepperoni Bacon Pizza with Store Bought Dough

Hubby and I eat our fair share of pizza. It’s a great go to meal and well……we love pizza. There are a few good frozen brands out their that is good to keep tucked away in the freezer, delivery is great as well, but it can get costly so making it at home is the best way to go. It’s really easy, especially when you can use premade dough. You can make your own dough, but I find that there are some good premade dough available and that makes it even easier and faster. Most local grocery stores now sell balls of dough as well as some pizza places will sell their dough. It’s mostly about finding the right one that you prefer.

Making your own pizza is like having a blank canvas. You can make it just the way you like, let your imagination and taste buds go wild. My hubby has even created a pizza with pepperoni and some leftover Chinese boneless spareribs. Did I think at first he had went a little too wild and crazy with the topping? Sure I did…but one bite and I was hooked. That being said, for this one I wanted to start out simple, but again add anything you like.

Here’s what you need:

*pizza dough

*olive oil for the pan and the pizza dough

*pizza sauce either from a jar or homemade; I used some already made

*favorite pizza toppings; I used pepperoni and 3 slices of bacon cooked and crumbled into pieces

*1 1/2 cups or more of Shredded cheese; I used a blend of cheddar and mozzarella

I find that letting the dough set out for 30 minutes before using it makes it easier to work with.

Preheat oven to 425°.

If using a pizza stone, preheat the stone then add some corneal before adding the dough. I find this keeps the dough from sticking.

If using a pizza pan or sheet pan, brush with olive oil.

Roll out the dough and using your finger tips, gently stretch out the dough to fit the pan. It’s ok if it isn’t perfectly round or square, I call that rustic and it’s what makes it unique. No matter how hard I try, mine has never looked perfect so yes, we shall call it rustic. Brush the dough with a little olive oil.

Prebake the dough for about 5 minutes.

After the dough is prebaked, spread on some of the pizza sauce.

Then sprinkle on the cheese.

Add on the toppings.

Bake for about 7 to 8 minutes or until crust is done and cheese is melted.

Cut into slices and serve.

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Cast Iron Pepperoni Pizza

I love cooking in my cast iron pan. It makes a great sear on steaks and helps give fried chicken that wonderful crispy crust. I have seen a few blogs with pizza cooked in one, so I thought I’d try it and see if it was truly worth it. I was really pleased with the results. The crust did indeed get crispy and it was much easier than I thought it would be. I kept it simple and just did a pepperoni topping, but next time I might go wild and add more. So use your imagination and add whatever else you might like on yours.

Here’s what you need.

*1 TBS olive oil

*pizza dough; I used a store bought that was already prepared in the dough form.

*pizza sauce

*pepperoni

*shredded cheese; I used a pizza blend.

Preheat oven to 475°

Prepare the dough.

Heat a large cast iron pan on medium high heat for about 5 minutes.Take the pan off of the heat. Pour the olive oil into the pan, with a paper towel, spread the oil all over the bottom and sides of the pan.

Place the dough into the pan.

very carefully spread the dough out using your fingers until it touches all sides of the pan.

Remember the pan is hot. I was really prepared to burn my fingers at least once, but I can gladly say I did not.

Next, spread on the pizza sauce.

Add as little or as much as you want.

Now layer on the cheese.

Then add the pepperoni or any other toppings you might like.

Bake for about 12 minutes. Take the pan out and gently lift up the crust to see if it is to your liking.

Cut into slices and serve.

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French Bread Pepperoni Pizza

I’ve always loved a good pizza. If hubby and I do get a pizza, it’s either from a pizza place or the frozen kind. There are some pretty decent frozen brands out there….. and some pretty bad ones as well. I have tried making my own with homemade pizza dough, but it hasn’t been a home run. I think I need to work on that a little more ( might be a future post in the works). But I can make French bread pizza. So when hubby and I had a craving for the homemade variety, I found some nice bread at the grocery store. Thank goodness bread seems to be making a come back. I had some leftover pepperoni and pizza sauce in the freezer so that made it even better.

I admit, this loaf looks like it had been on steroids, but the pizza turned out really good; nice and crispy on the outside and around the edges, with all that pepperoni and cheesy goodness in the middle. So if you’re craving homemade pizza also, grab some French bread and here’s what you need:

*1 loaf of French bread

*pizza sauce

*Colby and Monterrey Jack cheese; shredded

*sliced pepperoni ( or any other desired topping)

Preheat oven to 410°.

Half the bread crosswise

Then cut it in half lengthwise.

Place bread slices cut side up on a baking sheet. Spread pizza sauce on each slice.

Layer cheese on top of the sauce.

Next place the pepperoni on top of the cheese.

Put in the oven and bake about 10 motor until cheese is melted and edges of bread is toasted.

Serve and enjoy!