Toasted and Air Fried Sandwich Pizzas are Taking Their Bow

A Variety of Breads & Toppings for Pizza in A-ZZIP

Store-bought pizzas offer fast food convenience. There are an explosion of bread pizzas on social media. Get a few of these recipes under your belt, you save time and money with an endless variety of artisan breads and toppings.

Think of this as a fancy sandwich and you’re off!

TYPES OF BREAD: Find artisan breads at most supermarkets. Trader Joe’s has all six types listed here

Consider flatbreads from a variety of regions. They have a solid texture and transforms into a crust very well. I like pita [round], lavash [rectangle or oval], and naan [oval or round]

For loaf bread; try Italian ciabatta, and French baguette: each yielding a crusty shell with a chewy center

NOTE: If using tortillas, stack two tall to create a more substantial crust

INGREDIENTS: I prefer to use jarred red sauce and string cheese mozzarella. Costco has organic string cheese mozzarella

Basic Red Sauce Pizza

• jarred pizza sauce [or thicken a basic marinara by simmering]
• olive oil
• parmesan or pecorino romano cheese
• basil leaves, fresh [or dried oregano, marjoram, and or thyme]
• mozzarella cheese
• pepperoni [or mushrooms, et al]

Basic White Sauce: I’m surprised that strained Greek yogurt works in place of ricotta cheese. [Please tweak these amounts to your own liking]. Adapted

• Ricotta cheese [or strained Greek yogurt], 1/2 cup
• olive oil
• garlic powder, 1/4 tsp
• salt, 1/4 tsp
• pepper, 1/8 tsp
• oregano, dried, 1/4 tsp
• thyme, dried, 1/8 tsp
• parmesan, 1/3 cup, [or Pecorino Romano]
• mozzarella cheese, string [or traditional]
• toppings of choice: mushrooms, artichokes, asparagus
• basil, fresh [or cured salmon] when out of the oven
• OPTIONAL: If you have some pesto, blend it into the white sauce [as noted below to make a green pizza]

BASIC GREEN SAUCE: Blend in some basil pesto or fresh pureed bay leaves to the white sauce

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL ABOVE: These work for all the variety of breads

1. Make the sauce
2. Spray or brush tops of the bread liberally with olive oil, being sure to include the edges [so they won’t burn]
3. Toast the slices for a few minutes, until browning just begins [about 4 minutes in a toaster oven, 2 minutes in an air fryer set at 400º]
4. Add sauce and spread evenly over the bread slices
5. Sprinkle on parmesan cheese on the red sauce pizza, it’s included already in the white sauce
6. Sprinkle lightly with fresh basil [or oregano, thyme, et al]
7. Slice mozzarella into thin strips and lay about the top
8. Preheat toaster oven to 450º [or oven] or air fryer to 400º
9. Add toppings like pepperoni, mushroom
10. Bake for about 7-8 minutes, in either appliance until mozzarella begins to brown
11. If using raw finishing ingredients like torn basil, or cured salmon, add right out of the oven

Below: Naan bread needs to be pre-toasted for 5 minutes before adding the ingredients, for best crust texture.

What’s your favorite pizza? Let’s get at this!

Mine is a white pizza with toasted sesame seeds heavily sprinkled around the edges with chunks bacon then baked or else exchanging the bacon with cured salmon as it comes out of the oven and topped with dressed arugula. TOP SHELF!!!!

2022 © Recipes by B. Hettig