Hot Pizza Bread

This is the fastest path from “I want pizza” to eating. A French baguette gets sliced most of the way through at one-inch intervals, creating a pull-apart loaf where each section is loaded with pizza toppings. Sauce, pepperoni, pepper strips, and a double hit of mozzarella and Parmesan get tucked into every cut.

Wrapping in foil before baking is the move. The steam trapped inside melts all that cheese into stretchy, gooey pockets while the bread softens just enough to tear apart easily. Fifteen minutes is all it takes.

The beauty of this recipe is how customizable it is. The technique works with whatever you’d put on a pizza, but the base combination of pepperoni and sweet bell pepper strips gives you that classic red-and-green pizzeria vibe.

Chef Tips

• Cut only three-quarters of the way through the bread. All the way through and it falls apart before you can bake it.
• Spread the sauce on both exposed sides of each cut so every pull-apart section is fully flavored.
• Use a day-old baguette if you have one. It holds up better to the sauce without getting soggy.
• Open the foil for the last 3 minutes if you want a crispier top crust.

Variations

• Add sliced olives, banana peppers, or diced jalapeños for more toppings.
• Use Italian sausage crumbles instead of pepperoni for a heartier version.
• Brush the outside of the baguette with garlic butter before wrapping for garlic bread flavor on the crust.