Stuffed

The second recipe I chose to make out of this month’s cookbook was Super-Stuffed French Bread Pizza Rustica. I chose this recipe because I recently made Cheese and Chicken Stuffed French Bread that turned out great and this recipe was similar but with an Italian twist. I liked this recipe (as well as the Cheese and Chicken version) because it is fast and easy to make. The part that took the longest (and it really didn’t take that long) was chopping the veggies; however I could have easily done that yesterday (and I normally do). As compared to the chicken version this was even more ‘stuffed’ and more filling (if that could be possible). This recipe made a ton of food- enough to feed a crowd or to have as leftovers(one small slice completely filled me up). And lucky for you all, I have friends coming over to have game night and they are chomping (no pun intended) at the bits to play Scene It, so I have to make this post short and sweet (a first for me)!

Super-Stuffed French Bread Pizza Rustica
adapted from Classic 30-Minute Meals: The All Occasion Cookbook

1 loaf French bread
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped (I used green because that is what I had)1 small onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 package frozen chopped spinach defrosted and squeezed dry
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups part skim ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 pound sweet sopressata, from the deli, sliced thick, chopped (I left this out)
1/2 stick pepperoni, chopped
1 sack (10 ounces) shredded mozzarella (I used 1/2 cup shredded)
1 sack (10 ounces) shredded provolone (I used 4 slices- cut from the deli)1 teaspoon dried oregano (I forgot this)
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I left this out because I used spicy sausage)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Split bread lengthwise.

Over medium high heat, brown and crumble sausage. Add red (green) bell pepper, onion and garlic. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, add spinach. Remove mixture from heat and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper, to your taste.

Transfer to a bowl. Combine sausage and veggies with ricotta, Parmesan, sopressata and pepperoni. Top bread with mixture and top with mozzarella and provolone cheeses. Place in hot oven on cookie sheet and bake until cheese melts and bubbles and bread is super crisp, about 10 to 12 minutes. Top pizzas with oregano and hot pepper flakes. Serve immediately, or snack all night!