Pesto Garlic French Bread Pizza

We all remember making pizza using English muffins as kids, back in the day.  These days we often pick up ready made flat breads or naan to make a fun and easy pizza.

The other classic ready-made bread we love to use, is a good fluffy French Bread.  Some grocery stores may call it an Italian loaf.  In the end, it is all about convenience, and not fussing with making and or rolling out pizza dough. We’re really just eliminating a step, for pure convenience!  Some days we just want a break from what is expected, we just want the fun, easy pizza hacks of our youth!  Plus we can stock the freezer with these breads, whether naan, flat bread or French loaf, for impromptu pizza moments.

What Bread to Use?

Whether your grocery store calls it a French loaf, or an Italian loaf, they end up being pretty similar.  We are NOT talking about a French baguette, or an Italian Ciabatta etc.  We want that classic grocery bread that is usually oblong or oval, has a crispy but thin crust, and the interior is dense and fluffy.  The crust is especially important, since we want the finished pizza slices to be easy and fun to bite into, not hard and tough.

How to Prepare the Bread

This is a trick I learned from J Kenji Lopes-Alt over at Serious Eats.  After slicing the loaf in half lengthwise, you want to squish it down.  This will help as the sliced bread bakes, preventing the outer edges from curling into the center.  So after using a baking sheet to press down firmly on the halved loaves on my cutting board, I leave the baking sheet on top, and weigh it down with heavy bottles (olive oil etc) or jars of beans, rice etc.  Let it sit like that while you prepare the rest of the ingredients, so that the compacted bread won’t bounce back up as bakes up in the oven.

It Starts With a Pesto Garlic Layer

So here is where I take that French loaf (which is also the best bread for garlic bread) and transform it into pizza! 

You will brush the loaves with a mixture of melted butter, olive oil, garlicky pesto sauce, extra garlic, red pepper flakes and fresh herbs. When it comes to the pesto you want to use, you can use homemade (see my Ramp Pesto for a Master Method) or store bought, whichever floats your boat!  I always have homemade pesto in the fridge, and more in the freezer, but a jar in the pantry is just as good.

Bake for about five minutes or until the cheese is bubbling, and the crust edges are starting to turn golden. 

Second Time in the Oven

Let the loaves rest as you prep the rest of the ingredients.

I hope you make my homemade pizza sauce, which I developed initially for the cookbook, and then updated it for my Windsor Style Pizza.  This sauce is the perfecty balance of sweet and tangy, has a bit of warmth to it, as well as the perfect amount of oregano.  It freezes well, and one batch will make a few pizzas.  Make it in advance, your future self will thank you.

Having said that, you can easily use store bought pizza sauce ;D

Pre-baking the loaves with that layer of cheese ensures that when you spread out the sauce over it, it won’t leak into the bread and turn the entire loaf soggy.  This method is similar to when making a Detroit style pizza (see my book!)

So, spread out the sauce, as well as most of the remaining cheese you grated, and then lay out your favourite toppings.  Seen here are Jim’s and my versions: pepperoni, red onion, green pepper and hot banana peppers; pepperoni, olives, sun-dried tomatoes (I ran out of mushrooms!)  Finish with the remaining cheese and bake till bubbling.

When it comes out of the oven, sprinkle freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley on top and some of the remaining pesto butter sauce.  Wait a few minutes before slicing it up.  Small bite sized pieces are great if you have a crowd over for watching the game or movie night.

Final Thoughts

Any slices that are leftover can be wrapped up well and stored in the fridge or freezer. Thaw in the fridge. To heat up in the toaster oven or oven set the temp at 325 to 350F and bake till warmed through and bubbling. To use a cast iron skillet, set it over medium low heat and reheat the slices till warmed through. Using a cast iron skillet will ensure that the crust stays crisp!

I often slice up my ingredients the day before and store in separate sealed containers.  I slice my pepperoni or salami into thin strips (see Windsor Style Pizza for the reason!) and store it as well.  Finishing with grated parmesan and parsley adds brightness to the whole pizza.  

While this may not be a classic pizza dough pizza, I think this is legit good pizza! No wood burning oven needed for this version!  So the next time you see a French loaf, grab it and throw it in your freezer, it will come in handy one random Friday in the near future!

If you make this fun and classic Pesto Garlic French Bread Pizza, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! It’s always lovely to hear from you guys, and I always do my best to respond to each comment or question. And of course, if you do make this recipe, and you post it on Instagram, don’t forget to also tag me so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is such a treat.

Love Jen

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Pesto Garlic French Bread Pizza

A fun and classic French Bread Pizza is made in layers. The first is a garlicy pesto and cheese layer. Don't skip the steps, and you'll be guaranteed crispy bread, fluffy insides, and a kicky sauce and cheesy pizza. Perfect for last minutes crowds.

Course Main Course, Snack

Cuisine North American

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp (45g) unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) pesto sauce, homemade or store bought
• 2 medium cloves garlic minced,
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped basil
• Kosher salt
• 1 large loaf French or Italian bread see Notes, split half lengthwise and crosswise if needed to fit onto baking sheet(s)
• 1 1/2 cups (400 ml) or so of your favourite pizza sauce, room temperature (see Notes)
• 8 ounces (225g) freshly grated whole milk mozzarella cheese
• Favourite toppings see Notes
• 2 ounces (60g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Instructions

1. Adjust oven rack to upper position and preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
2. Place bread cut-side-up on the counter or cutting board. Using a rimmed baking sheet, press down on bread evenly until compressed to about 2/3rds of its original height. Leave the baking sheet on top of the bread, weighing it down with heavy jars or cans. Set aside while you work on the pesto garlic butter.
3. Heat butter and olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Add pesto, garlic, and pepper flakes, and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in half of parsley and basil and a big pinch of salt. Remove from heat.
4. Using a pastry brush, brush most of the garlic/butter/oil mixture evenly over cut surfaces of bread, making sure to get plenty of bits of garlic and herbs. Set aside. Save about 1 tbsp or more as a final drizzle when ready to serve.

5. Spread 1/4 of mozzarella evenly over surface of bread and transfer the baking sheet to oven. Cook until cheese is barely melted, about 8 minutes. Set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients

6. Chop or slice any toppings you want to use on your pizza. The smaller the pieces will ensure that they cook through in the oven, and the easier it will be to cut when ready to serve.
7. Spread pizza sauce evenly over bread, then spread most of the remaining mozzarella on top of sauce. Scatter any toppings you want over the cheese. Finish with the remaining cheese.
8. Transfer to oven and bake until cheese is melted and just starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano, remaining parsley and basil, and remaining tablespoon of garlic pesto butter. Allow to cool slightly, slice up with a serrated knife, and serve.

Recipe Notes

Use a grocery store 'Italian' or 'French' loaf. It should be oblong or oval, with a thin crust and dense fluffy interior. Do not try this with a French baguette or Italian Ciabatta. In both cases, the crust is too thick and dry, it will make for an unpleasant eating experience.
Here is my recipe for the best Pizza Sauce which can be made in advance and stored in the fridge till needed.
Toppings can include olives, mushrooms, red onions, pepperoni, hot banana peppers, artichoke hearts etc. In all cases, chop them small enough that they will cook through pleasantly, and will be easy to slice through when getting ready to serve up the pizza.