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1.
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Preheat the oven to 425 F. 2.
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Slice the French bread in half the long way, forming two long halves (like a hot dog bun but dont keep them attached).
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Lightly press on the bread with the palms of your hands or with the bottom of a flat baking sheet until the bread is compressed to about half of what it was (generally about 1/2-inch or so thick, but like I mentioned in my post, homemade French bread doesnt flatten quite as well in my experience).
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3.
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Drizzle the olive oil on the cut side of both halves, about 1/2 tablespoon for each half, and brush oil lightly into the dough.
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Sprinkle with just a touch of garlic powder.
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4.
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Sprinkle half of the Parmesan cheese across the cut side of each half.
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Place the loaves of bread on an aluminum-foil lined baking sheet and bake for 3-5 minutes, until the Parmesan cheese is just barely starting to turn golden and has hardened a bit to the touch.
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Take care not to burn the Parmesan!
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Remove from oven.
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5.
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Spread pizza sauce on top of the Parmesan-crusted loaves and top with pizza toppings of your choice.
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I usually go with about 1 cup of mozzarella cheese for each half and throw on some pepperoni and olives but the sky is definitely the limit here!
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6.
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Bake the pizzas for 8-10 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and the edges of the bread are starting to crisp up and turn golden.
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Remove from oven.
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7.
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Using a serrated knife, cut each half into pieces and serve immediately.
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Recipe source: Mels Kitchen Cafe (inspired by tips from Serious Eats and Cooks Country).
