As a former locksmith, a name given to those of my generation who spent time after school alone at home because their parents were at work and therefore had a key to get into the house, snacks like frozen pizzas were often available.
Sure, a pizza that comes in a box and needs to be cooked in the oven has as much in common with a fresh pizzeria pie as a quick roast beef sandwich has with a slow-smoked brisket. But once you acquire that taste and appreciate it for its own sake, it can be quite satisfying.
Now, most of the frozen pizzas offered at our house were thin crust style with just cheese and sweet tomato sauce, although sometimes a fancier version appeared. This would be the French bread variety, which took thick, soft slices of French bread and used it as a pizza base instead of a crust. And since most frozen pizzas in the 1980s had an exciting cardboard-like crust, an airy slice of toasted bread was the improvement.
While a French bread pizza was exciting to unwrap and bake, once I started cooking on my own, it didn’t take long to discover that making one from scratch yielded equally delicious results. I know – it seems like such an easy idea, although when you’re first using your beginner baking skills, every discovery is exciting. And even though I make crust from scratch for my homemade pizzas these days, sometimes the quick and easy pull of a French bread pizza works.
When I lived in New York, one of my favorite pizzas to order was one from a place called Two Boots. The concept was that the boots in question referred to Italy and Louisiana, so there were some Italian fusions on the menu, such as with their pizza called the Bayou Beast.
The Bayou Beast was their tribute to Cajun country, topped with crab tails, shrimp and endo sausage, along with jalapeños, melted mozzarella and a vibrant tomato sauce with a kick from ginger and peppers. I loved this pizza and ordered it often, as finding crawfish in New York was a challenge, and Two Boots seemed to have a solid source.
Making homemade pizzas has long been something I enjoy, although I have yet to recreate the Bayou Beast. With all the ingredients on hand, I decided to change it up. I also ate a loaf of airy French bread, which is not to be confused with a thin and crispy baguette, as the French loaf is a wider, softer bread and it makes excellent garlic bread, and I decided to make my own version of a Cajun-style French bread pizza.
In Cajun cuisine, French bread loaves topped with seafood and melted cheese are a tradition, so the addition of tomato sauce and the shrimp, shrimp and andouille was not excessive. For my sauce I used a simple recipe that used tomato paste, herbs and aromatics. To mimic the fizz from New York, I also added ginger and cayenne.
Before layering on the pizza toppings, I first brushed the split French bread with an oil and garlic salt mixture and toasted it to enhance the final flavor and help reduce any moisture. Then the toppings were added and the pizzas were baked until brown and bubbly. To finish, I sprinkled some more herbs and parmesan cheese.
This cheesy pizza toast is quick to make and has a fun dinner on the table in no time. Indeed, once the sauce is made, it takes almost as long to make a pizza from fresh French bread as it does to reheat a frozen pizza, making it a fun dish for a weeknight or lazy weekend.
Cajun French Bread Pizza
Dishes 4
For the sauce:
- 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
- ½ Goblet water
- 1 teaspoon Dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- pinch cayenne
- ½ teaspoon Sugar, optional
For pizza:
- 1 (16 oz.) loaf of French bread
- 2 teaspoons Garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 spoons Olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Lime juice
- 8 ounces Small shrimp, peeled and deboned
- 8 ounces Crab tails
- 16 ounces Mozzarella cheese, grated
- 2 Andouille sausage links, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
- 2 Jalapenos, stem and slice
- Parmesan cheese, to serve
- Crushed red pepper, to serve
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To make the sauce, spoon the tomato paste into a mixing bowl. Pour ½ cup of water into the can (this will probably fill the can), swirl it around, and pour the water into the mixing bowl. Add the oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, dried parsley, salt, ginger, pepper and cayenne, then mix until a uniform mixture is obtained. Taste and adjust seasoning, add sugar if you feel it is too spicy. This can be made up to a week ahead if stored in the fridge.
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For the pizza, heat the oven to 400 degrees Celsius and line a pan with foil.
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Take the loaf of bread and slice it in half lengthwise, then slice each piece in half, lengthwise. You will now have 4 pieces. Place the bread on the sheet.
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Mix together the garlic powder, oregano and salt to make a garlic salt mixture.
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Spread half a tablespoon of the olive oil on each piece of bread, keeping the remaining tablespoon. Take half of the garlic salt and spread it evenly on the bread. Put the bread in the oven and cook for 10 minutes or until it just starts to brown and crisp.
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Meanwhile, place the shrimp and crabs in a mixing bowl, and toss them with the remaining olive oil, the garlic salt mixture, and the lime juice.
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Take the toasted bread out of the oven. Spread the pizza sauce evenly on each slice. Top each of them with the grated cheese.
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Lift the shrimp and crab out of the bowl with a slotted spoon to remove any excess liquid, then layer the shrimp, crab, sausage, and jalapeños on top of the cheese.
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Return the pan to the oven and cook for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese melts. Turn on the broiler, place a rack 6 inches from the heating element, and grill the pizzas for 1-2 minutes or until browned and bubbly.
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Serve immediately with parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper, and more garlic and oregano, if desired.
