French bread pizza (I seriously made a video about...)

Thanks to Surfshark for sponsoring this video! Get Surfshark VPN at https://Surfshark.deals/adamragusea - Enter promo code ADAMRAGUSEA for 83% off and 3 extra months for free!

***PIZZA 1, TRADITIONAL BUT IMPROVED***

A long, soft French-style bread loaf
mozzarella (I use Galbani whole milk, low moisture string cheese, cut into small pieces)
grated parmesan
pizza sauce (I used Pastene 'Kitchen Ready' ground tomatoes mixed with a little olive oil, spices and a pinch of sugar)
olive oil
salt

Heat oven to 400ºF/200ºC. Cut the bread into long boats. Put it on a baking sheet and drizzle heavily with olive oil. Sprinkle on a little salt, get all sides of the bread coated in seasoning and oil, and position them cut-side down. Put the pan in the oven and toast the bread until the cut sides are just starting to brown, 5-10 minutes.

Take the pan out, flip the bread cut-side-up, top with a thin layer of pizza sauce, a dusting of parmesan, and mozzarella. Use a brush to liberally dab the exposed cut bread surface with water (to keep it from burning), return the pan to the oven and cook until the cheese is melty and brown — I usually turn on the broiler for this part.

***PIZZA 2, OPEN-FACED PANINI ***

Sandwich-size ciabatta loaf
mozzarella (I use Galbani whole milk, low moisture string cheese, cut into small pieces)
grated parmesan
pizza sauce (I used Pastene 'Kitchen Ready' ground tomatoes mixed with a little olive oil, spices and a pinch of sugar)
fresh basil or parsley
butter
olive oil
garlic powder
salt

Slice the ciabatta into two boats. Heat an oven-safe pan over medium, and put in a big knob of butter. When the butter melts and starts to bubble, sprinkle in a little salt and put in the bread, cut-sides down. Use the bread to mop up all the butter and seasoning in the pan, then press the bread down with a brick or other heavy weight. Cook for a few minutes until the cut sides are just golden brown. Get the broiler (grill) of your oven heating to maximum.

Remove the weight, flip the bread around so the cut sides are up, dust them with a little garlic powder, and pour a little olive in the pan to fry the bottom sides of the bread. If using an electric resistance coil stove, turn the heat off. If using a gas or induction stove, reduce the heat to low. Top the bread with a thin layer of sauce, some big leaves of parsley or basil, a dusting of parmesan, and mozzarella.

Use a brush to liberally dab the exposed cut bread surface with water (to keep it from burning), put the pan under the broiler and cook until the cheese is melty and brown.

***PIZZA 3, TOMATO ORANGE SAUCE, PANCETTA, GREMOLATA***

A big Italian-style loaf
mozzarella (I use Galbani whole milk, low moisture string cheese, cut into small pieces)
grated parmesan
a shallot
a can of whole peeled plum tomatoes (I like Muir Glen)
an orange
some diced pancetta or similar bacon-like product
fresh parsley
1-2 garlic cloves
olive oil
garlic powder
chili flakes
pepper
salt

Start by making the gremolata topping. Zest the orange, peel the garlic and pick a big pile of parsley leaves. Chop all three things into each other until fine. Set aside.

Make the sauce. Peel and roughly chop the shallot. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat and cook the shallots until just starting to brown, stirring constantly. Throw in 2-3 tomatoes, mash them a bit with your spoon, and cook until stuff on the bottom of the pan just starts to brown. Deglaze the pan with the juice of the orange, and take it off the heat. Combine everything with a couple more tomatoes straight from the can and puree smooth. Season with pepper and chili flake. This will give you enough for 2-3 pizzas of the size in you see in the video.

Slice the bread into large boats that will fit in your biggest oven-safe pan.

Put the pancetta into your big pan and turn the heat on medium. Let the fat render out and then start stirring when it starts sizzling. When the pancetta seems halfway to being crispy, take most of it out, leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Push the remaining pancetta into an area that will match the footprint of the bread, and pour a little olive oil in that area. Put in the bread cut-side down and press it flat with another pan or a brick or some such. Cook until the cut side is just golden brown.

Remove the weight, flip the bread around so the cut side is up, dust them it a little garlic powder, and pour a little olive in the pan to fry the bottom side of the bread. If using an electric resistance coil stove, turn the heat off. If using a gas or induction stove, reduce the heat to low. Top the bread with a thin layer of sauce, a dusting of parmesan, mozzarella, and the reserved pancetta.

Use a brush to liberally dab the exposed cut bread surface with water (to keep it from burning), put the pan under the broiler and cook until the cheese is melty and brown. Take the pizza out and sprinkle on the gremolata.

Видео French bread pizza (I seriously made a video about...) канала Adam Ragusea