Vegetable-Packed French Bread Pizzas
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 4 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 4 servings
- Calories
- 676
- Total Fat
- 34
- Saturated Fat
- 14
- Carbohydrates
- 67
- Dietary Fiber
- 9
- Sugar
- 17
- Protein
- 29
- Cholesterol
- 72
- Sodium
- 1792
- Total: 1 hr
- Active: 30 min
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
2 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
Kosher salt
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 small shallot, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
One 15-ounce can tomato sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 long loaf French bread or soft (not crusty) baguette (about 22 inches long)
1/2 cup mini pepperoni slices
Directions
- Position racks in the center and upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 1 baking sheet with foil and have another unlined baking sheet ready. Set both aside.
- Shred 2 carrots on the large hole of a box grater (you should have about 1 1/2 cups shredded carrot). Set aside. Cut the remaining carrots into 1/4-inch-thick slices on the bias and place in a medium bowl. Toss the slices with 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon salt until evenly coated. Spread the carrots on the unlined baking sheet and roast on the center rack of the oven until tender and the edges just begin to brown, 26 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
- While the carrots roast, make the sauce. Set aside 1/3 cup of the finely diced bell pepper for topping. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the remaining diced bell pepper, the shallot, the grated carrots and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallot is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in the tomato sauce and the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning until combined. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Carefully transfer the hot tomato sauce to a blender. Hold the lid down with a kitchen towel, start on low and then raise the speed to medium. Blend until smooth. Pour 1 cup sauce into a medium bowl to cool slightly; pour the remaining sauce back into the same saucepan and cover to keep warm.
- Cut the French bread in half crosswise and then split each piece horizontally to make 4 pieces. Arrange the pieces cut-side up on the prepared foil-lined baking sheet. Spread about 1/4 cup of the reserved 1 cup tomato sauce evenly over the cut sides of each bread piece. Sprinkle the mozzarella over the tomato sauce. Divide the mini pepperoni among the bread pieces, then sprinkle each with some of the reserved diced bell pepper.
- Bake the pizzas on the upper rack until the bread is crisp and the cheese melts, about 15 minutes. Reheat the carrots in the same oven if needed. Divide the remaining warm tomato sauce into 4 small bowls and serve alongside the pizzas and roasted carrots for dipping.