Famous French Bread

As a native New Orleanian it seems natural that a French Bread Pizza would be topped with traditional New Orleans fare like crawfish and andouille sausage. You see, in New Orleans French bread is as important an ingredient in the local cuisine as anything else. French Bread serves as the foundation of our famous po'boys and is used in New Orleans versions of pain perdu and bread pudding. French Bread or Po'Boy Bread (as it is more frequently referred to in New Orleans) is the bread of choice in the Crescent City. There are famous bakeries, like Leidenheimer's that specialize in perfect French bread and the distribution of it to eateries and restaurants both far and wide that are interested in serving authentic New Orleans po'boys. You can also find wicker baskets filled with fresh baked French Bread in every local grocery store and pastry shop in the city. French Bread is ubiquitous in the Big Easy and because of that fact, I love the marriage of the crawfish and andouille pizza on a French bread crust!

Crawfish and Andouille French Bread Pizzas
Adapted from Coastal Living March 2004

Yield

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound andouille sausage, diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound cooked frozen crawfish tails, thawed and drained
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt-free Cajun seasoning
• 1 (16-ounce) Whole-Wheat French Bread
  
• 1 (14-ounce) jar pizza or pasta sauce
• 3 cups (12 ounces) shredded provolone cheese

Preparation

Place a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add sausage; cook 4 to 5 minutes or until lightly browned on all sides.

Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add crawfish tails and Cajun seasoning. Remove from heat.

Cut bread in half lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into 3 equal pieces. Remove a little of the dough in the center of each bread section and discard. Place bread, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Spread sauce over bread halves;

top evenly with crawfish mixture.

Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 425° for 8 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve immediately.