Portobello & Sausage French Bread Pizza

French bread pizza makes for a quick and easy dinner at home or for a hearty snack to enjoy while watching a movie on TV.

Ingredients

Yield: 4 to 6 Servings

1 loaf French bread
3 Italian sausages, hot or mild
1 Tablespoon flour
1/4 cup red wine (the Merlot is perfect)
2 large Portobello mushrooms
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
8 slices Provolone cheese, about 8 ounces

Method

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice the bread lengthwise and then in half so you have four equal portions. Place on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about five minutes then remove while preparing the topping. Meanwhile prepare the mushrooms by wiping clean with a paper towel and removing the stem. Thinly slice the mushrooms and set aside.

Remove casing from sausages and crumble into a large skillet. Cook over medium heat until no longer pink (about 5 minutes). Add the flour and continue cooking for another minute or two. Add the wine and stir the mixture, then add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently and scraping up the bottom of the pan. Mushrooms will release their juices and turn brown. Cook another few minutes until mushrooms are cooked through. Take skillet off the heat and mix in the Parmesan cheese.

Spread the sausage and mushroom mixture evenly on top of the bread halves. Cut each slice of cheese in half and place on top. Bake for five to ten minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut each piece in thirds to serve.

Serving Suggestion

Pair with garlic roasted broccollini and the Snowy River Merlot

Estimated Prep Time: 5 minutes
Estimated Cooking Time: 30 minutes