French bread pizza

rench bread pizzas are super fast and really easy to make and extremely versatile. You can make them with whatever ingredients/leftovers you have at hand..(have made them using aloo gobhi and baingan bharta :-) It is also a good use for any leftover bread that you may have.

My hubs in his bachelor days used to often eat the frozen ones from the supermarket. He showed me once while we were in the local grocery and I went "huh! that should be easy to make".. tried it and liked it. I make it on weeknights sometimes when we crave for pizza and am not in a mood to make everything from scratch or order a take out. It can also be served as a snack for small get togethers, just cut them into smaller pieces, stick a toothpick in and enjoy the compliments.

Here's how i make it..

Ingredients:

Baguette ................................ 1
Marinara sauce ......................... 3/4 cup or as needed
Mozzarella cheese ..................... 1/2 cup or as needed
Mushrooms ............................. 8 oz packet sliced
Bell pepper ............................. 1 medium chopped
Spinach ................................. 1 cup chopped
Onion ................................... 1 small chopped

Italian seasoning ....................... 1/4 tsp
Red chilli flakes ....................... 1/2 tsp
Salt ...................................... to taste
Ketchup ................................. 1 tbsp
Black olives ............................. 4-5 cut
Fresh basil leaves ...................... 4-5 julienned (optional)
Garlic ................................... 3-4 cloves chopped

Olive oil ................................ 1 tbsp + more for brushing the bread
Black pepper powder ................. 1/4 tsp
Grated Parmesan cheese ............. for sprinkling

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450 deg F and line a baking tray with foil
2. Cut the baguettes into the size you want your pizzas in. I cut it in half lengthwise, then slice it open to make 4 quarters .

3. Brush them with some olive oil on top (soft side of the bread) and bake for 5 - 7 minutes till they get slightly crispy.

4. In a pan heat olive oil. Add garlic and onions and salt (be careful with the salt as marinara contains salt already) and stir for 3 - 4 minutes.

5. Add mushrooms, bell pepper and italian seasoning and cook till water evaporates and they look slightly caramelized, stirring in between.
6. Add the spinach and black pepper and give a mix. Add the ketchup. Mix and take off the heat.
7. Spread the marinara on the baked bread evenly on all the pieces, then layer the cooked veggies, olives and basil, and sprinkle the cheese over the top.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 7 - 9 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly, light golden and melted and the edges of bread are brown and crispy. Take out of the oven and sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top.

9. Serve hot with a soda of your choice. ENJOY!

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