When the Moon Hits Your Eye...

This recipe came on a coupon flyer in the newspaper.  I didn't use Gallo brand salame since it's got nitrates (sorry Gallo!) and I didn't use refrigerated bread dough.  I know, it kind of defeats the purpose of a quick meal when you add dough making to the equation...  I just don't like the way most refrigerated doughs taste and by making my own I know exactly what's in it.  The dough recipe I found here.  I used my bread machine to mix it up so it wasn't really that much extra work and had the added benefit of not needing to be thawed, which I can never remember to do.

Salame and Cheese Pizza Bread

Prep time: 10 minutes
Rise time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes

1 T olive oil
1 (3 lb) package frozen bread dough, thawed
1/4 C chopped fresh basil, divided in half
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 (16 oz) package Gallo Sliced Salame
1/2 C drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, minced

Spread olive oil in bottom of a jelly roll pan; press dough into pan, stretching to cover bottom of entire pan.  Press half of the basil into the dough.  Let stand in a warm, draft-free place for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Top dough with cheeses.  Lay salame in rows over cheese, overlapping slightly; top with tomatoes and garlic.  Bake on bottom oven rack for 15-20 minutes or until surface is golden brown.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining basil.
Makes 12 generous servings.

My substitutions/additions:

• I used Applegate Farms salami.
• I didn't wait for dough to rise the second time, partly because I had just made the dough, and partly because I didn't have the time.
• I also didn't have time for beer to flatten, but it was just fine.
• I made half sun-dried tomatoes, half salame.  One of the beauties of pizza in the half veggie household.
• I think it could use more garlic, but that's just 'cuz I like garlic, and I don't know if the salame side needs it or not.

Review:
DH said it was some of the best I've made.  He loved the salami and said he preferred it to pepperoni (as he was shoving pieces into his mouth straight out of the bag).  The crust was fantastic and I could see perking it up even more with fresh chopped rosemary or thyme.  The boys both had seconds and so did I.  Definite keeper.

PS, it is incredibly hard to make jarred sun-dried tomatoes look yummy in pictures.  Sorry...