Making pizza at home sounds like a lot of fun, but homemade pizza dough can be finicky, even if you’ve done a lot of practice.Still, that doesn’t mean delivery is the only way to satisfy cravings.
Solution: French bread.Squishy Supermarket French Bread is a ready tool for your favorite pizza toppings.Sure, you could just buy a box of Stouffer’s, but with a little planning, homemade baguette pizza can be a great meal after a day’s work.
Store-bought baguettes vary widely in size.The measurements provided in these recipes should cover a larger 16-ounce loaf, but trust your gut when it comes to toppings: smaller loaves may require a thinner layer of sauce or slightly less cheese.Scoop out some of the soft insides of the bread.Blend it in a food processor to make crumbs, or tear it into bite-sized pieces, toss with olive oil and salt, then bake at 350 degrees until dry and golden brown Baoding.
Here you’ll find three versions: Pepperoni Lover, Four Cheese, Pesto and Mozzarella.Feel free to mix and match sauces and experiment with different cheese combinations.Then, top as much as you want.Thinly sliced ​​red onions add texture, and hot chile or a pinch of red pepper flakes reduce the richness of the cheese in almost every case.Dried oregano and grated Parmesan cheese add to the pizzeria vibe, while fresh basil brightens things up.
The most important step—and this is crucial—is to let the pizza cool before cutting and serving.There’s nothing hotter than a fusion of melted sauce and cheese over steaming slices.If you’re impatient, you’ll almost certainly burn your palate, so wait at least five minutes before delving into it.
Whichever direction you choose to go with your baguette pizza, you’ll get something refined (it’s French, after all!), a crowd-friendly meal or snack for game day, Friday, or whatever day you might need it to remind you, Home cooking can be fun and delicious because it’s easy.
Each cheese plays a special role in this baguette pizza: the combination of Parmesan and Pecorino makes it extra nutty and salty; mozzarella melts evenly, sharper deli-style pro Recumbent cheese bridges the gap between them.Once you’ve learned how to make a classic white sauce (technically a Mornay, which is a sauce with cheese), you’ll find that there are many ways to use it other than pizza: Substitute an equal amount of shredded cheddar, then tossed with pasta for easy stovetop macaroni and cheese, or using Gruyere, spread the sauce over the ham on toast and bake until bubbly and browned.The sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance; keep tightly covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Sauce: 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1 cup whole milk ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese ¼ cup grated Pecorino Romano ½ teaspoon kosher salt (diamond crystal) a pinch of black pepper
Pizza: 1/4 cup olive oil 2 garlic cloves, grated 1 loaf of soft baguette, cut lengthwise, mostly scooped out 4 oz mozzarella inside, low moisture and part skim, or fresh (drain if necessary dried and patted dry), grated or shredded 4 ounces shredded provolone (from the deli), cut into ½-inch chunks (about 1 cup) 2 tablespoons grated parmesan red pepper flakes or dried beef to, or both, for eating
Make the sauce: Heat the oven to 450 degrees.Melt butter in a medium pot over medium heat.Once melted, add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until beginning to turn golden brown, about 1 minute.Whisk in the milk, starting to splash a few drops at a time, until well combined.Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.(It will continue to thicken as it cools.) Remove from heat and add Parmesan, pecans, salt, and pepper.calm down.
To prepare the pizza: Put the olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat.Cook, rotating occasionally, until garlic begins to sizzle but not brown, about 2 to 4 minutes.Remove from heat source.
Place the cut baguette side up on the baking sheet.Brush cut sides with garlic oil.Bake until golden around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes.
Put cheese in a medium bowl.Spread the sauce on both halves of the bread, all the way to the edges, then top with cheese.
Return to oven and bake until melted, about 5 minutes.Increase heat to grill.Bake until cheese is bubbly and browned in spots (watch carefully!), 1 to 2 minutes more.Cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.Top with red pepper flakes and oregano if you like.
Basil is a classic choice for this red sauce substitute, but can be mixed with any soft, flavorful herbs or greens like parsley, spinach, or arugula, depending on what you have around.This pesto recipe is easy to double and freeze: transfer the finished pesto to an ice cube tray and freeze until firm.Store frozen pesto in a resealable bag and keep in the refrigerator for up to three months.Thaw whenever you want to eat pasta or pizza, although you can certainly use store-bought pesto to make things easier.Fresh mozzarella makes an excellent cheese pull, but feel free to pair it with other soft cheeses: crumbled or goat cheese makes a delicious twist.
Pizza: 4 cups lightly packed basil leaves or other tender herbs or vegetables such as parsley, arugula, spinach or a combination 1 garlic clove ¼ cup pine nuts or almonds ⅓ cup olive oil ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese ½ teaspoon kosher salt ( diamond crystal)
Pizza: 1/4 cup olive oil 2 garlic cloves, grated 1 loaf of soft baguette, cut lengthwise, 8 oz mozzarella mostly scooped out inside, low moisture and part skim, or fresh (drain if necessary dried and patted dry) thinly sliced ​​red pepper flakes, dried oregano or grated Parmesan, or a combination, for serving
To make pesto: Heat oven to 450 degrees with rack in center position.Place basil, 1 garlic clove and pine nuts in a food processor and blend until finely chopped.While the machine is running, pour in the olive oil.Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the Parmesan cheese and salt, and toss to combine.
To prepare pizza: Combine ¼ cup olive oil and grated garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat.Cook, swirling occasionally, until garlic begins to sizzle (but doesn’t start to brown), 2 to 4 minutes.Remove from heat source.
Place the cut baguette side up on the baking sheet.Brush cut sides with garlic oil.Bake until golden around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes.
Spread pesto on both halves, all the way to the edges, and top with cheese.Return to oven and bake until cheese is evenly melted, about 5 minutes.Increase heat and bake and roast (watch carefully!) until cheese is bubbly and browned, 1 to 2 minutes more.Cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.Top with red pepper flakes, oregano and more parmesan cheese if you like.
A simple no-cook sauce that serves as a rich base for a variety of pizzas.Draining the tomatoes before seasoning ensures that the sauce doesn’t create any soggy bottoms, no matter what kind of crust you’re making the pizza on.If you have chopped tomatoes on hand, use an equal amount of chopped or peeled tomatoes instead of diced.Just break up the whole tomatoes a bit with your hands (and drain any extra liquid).The sauce will keep tightly covered in the refrigerator for about five days.But feel free to substitute your favorite jarred marinara for it.Reheat remaining pizza in a 350 degree oven until heated through.
Sauce: 1 can (14 ounces) small diced tomatoes, drained 1 garlic clove, grated ½ teaspoon kosher salt (diamond crystal) ½ teaspoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon olive oil A pinch of black pepper
Pizza: 1/4 cup olive oil 2 garlic cloves, grated 1 loaf of soft baguette, cut lengthwise, mostly scooped out 4 oz mozzarella inside, low moisture and part skim, or fresh (drain if necessary dried and patted dry), grated or shredded (about 1 cup) 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan, plus serving 2 ounces sliced ​​pepperoni, quartered (about ½ cup) red pepper flakes or dried oregano, or both
Make the sauce: Heat the oven to 450 degrees with a rack in the center.Combine tomatoes, garlic, salt, oregano, olive oil, and black pepper in a medium bowl and toss to coat.Set aside until ready to use.
Prepare pizza: Heat ¼ cup olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan over medium heat.Cook, rotating occasionally, until garlic begins to sizzle but is not browned, about 2 to 4 minutes.Remove from heat source.
Place the cut baguette side up on the baking sheet.Brush cut sides with garlic oil.Bake until golden around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes.
Combine mozzarella, parmesan, and pepperoni in a medium bowl.Divide the tomato sauce between the loaf halves, all the way to the edges, and top with the pepperoni and cheese.
Return to oven and bake until melted, about 5 minutes.Increase heat and bake and roast (watch carefully!) until cheese is bubbly and browned, 1 to 2 minutes more.Cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.Top with more parmesan, red pepper flakes and oregano if you like.
Perry is a freelance writer and author of Ready, Ready, Cook: How To Cook With What You Have On Hand.This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
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