Muffuletta French Bread Pizza

Step 1

Position oven racks in the top third and middle of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.

Step 2

For the olive salad: Combine the giardiniera, olives, celery, roasted red peppers, capers, parsley and oregano in a medium bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and vinegar and toss well to combine. Let sit to combine the flavors while you make the pizzas.

Step 3

For the French bread pizza: Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over low heat. Scatter in the garlic and cook until softened but not browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the oregano. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 4

Split each loaf of bread in half lengthwise with a serrated knife. Pull out a little of the bread from the top of each loaf (just enough to make room for the fillings). Turn cut-side down and press down lightly to flatten the bread just a bit. Brush the cut sides of each piece with the garlic oil. Place cut-side up on a baking sheet and bake on the middle rack until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.

Step 5

Brush the cut sides of the toasted bread with the pizza sauce. Top evenly with the sliced meat then sprinkle evenly with the provolone. Bake on the top rack until the meat is heated through and the cheese is melted, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn the oven to broil. Broil, rotating the baking sheet as needed for even cooking, until the cheese is browned and bubbly, 1 to 3 minutes, depending on the strength of your broiler.

Step 6

Let cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then remove to a cutting board. Cut each piece into 4 pieces and top with the olive salad. Serve warm.