Italian Bread Creamy Pesto Pepperoni Pizza

Kittencalskitchen's Note:

These are awesome! Crusty unsliced Italian bread is a must for this recipe, regular unsliced soft bread will not hold up. The ricotta mixture can be prepared well in advance and refrigerated until ready to use.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 8 pizzas

• 2 large Italian bread, unsliced
• 3 cups ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup prepared pesto sauce (use more or less if desired to taste, store-bought or homemade)
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (use more to taste if desired)
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup sliced black olives (very well drained pat dry with a paper towel, can use more)
• 2 (4 ounce) packages pepperoni, sliced (use more if desired)
• 2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (or to taste)

Directions:

1. Place one oven rack in upper-third of the oven, and the second oven rack on the lower third.
2. Heat oven to 450°F (regular or convection air-bake).
3. Half each loaf lengthwise, then crosswise to make 8 pizza crusts.
4. In a bowl combine ricotta, pesto, Parmesan, salt and pepper.
5. Spread on the bread crusts.
6. Sprinkle the olives on top of the ricotta.
7. Top with pepperoni slices.
8. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
9. Place 4 pizzas on one baking sheet and the other 4 on another baking sheet.
10. Place on sheet on one rack and the other on the other rack.
11. Bake for about 10-12 minutes (the cheese should be well melted).
12. Cool for about 5 minutes.

Reviews

[sweetcakes]

I thought this was good, but needed some sort of sauce added to it. I agree with the other reviewers that it taste like a lazagne pizza. If I make it again I would probally use half the ricotta mixture and add some pizza sauce on top of that. Thanks so much for posting!

[Chef #1404060]

I cut the recipe in half since there are only 2 of us, then I froze the other half of bread, ricotta mixture and pizza sauce. I also added a light layer of pizza sauce after the ricotta mixture. It was a different way to make pizza and my husband loved it!

[brquilter]

Thanks for the recipe! Of course, I made my own changes with the ingredients I had on hand, but it can be very versatile. I used a ciabatta loaf, about 1 cup of cottage cheese and toppings like sausage, olives, onions, roasted red bell peppers, etc. The list could go on! It was delicious! Tasted like lasagna-pizza.