Deep-Dish Pizza Bread Bowl

Who doesn't love homemade pizza fresh from the oven? But what if some friends randomly stop by and you're out of ingredients to make your own pizza dough? Chances are, you have a fresh loaf of Italian bread on hand, in which case — problem solved! Once your guests try this sophisticated version of pizza, they'll be requesting it all the time and it will soon become a culinary staple at all your future get-togethers.

Yield: 1
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes

You'll Need:

• 1 loaf of Italian bread
• 1 cup pizza sauce, divided
• 1 fresh mozzarella ball, sliced
• 6 oz pepperoni slices
• ½ onion, sliced
• 1 bunch of basil
• 6 oz kielbasa sausage, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Here's How:

1. Cut the top of the bread loaf off and set it aside for later. Hollow out the inside of the bread loaf to make a bread bowl.

2. Spread ⅔ of the pizza sauce over the bottom of the bread bowl and top with the fresh mozzarella slices.

3. Layer the pepperoni slices on top of the mozzarella slices.

4. Spread the onion strips over the pepperoni, followed by layers of basil leaves, chopped kielbasa, and red bell pepper strips.

5. Pour the remaining pizza sauce over the ingredients, sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese on top, and place the bread lid back on the bread bowl.

6. Wrap the stuffed bread bowl in aluminum foil and weigh it down with a heavy wooden cutting board for 30 minutes.

7. Remove the aluminum foil and place the stuffed bread bowl on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle ½ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese over the bread lid and garnish with a few slices of kielbasa. Transfer the baking tray to a preheated oven and cook at 350°F for 30 minutes.

This pizza bread bowl is the best thing since sliced bread – be careful not to burn your fingers in your eagerness to grab a cheesy slice!