Cheesy bread that won’t make it past the oven pan. Eat it while it’s warm!
This is so easy to make, and a 20-minute bake… and broil.
Prepare your dough earlier in the day: flour, water, instant yeast, and salt. Add enough water so you have a sticky dough. Knead for 5 minutes on a machine. Cover with a towel for at least 1 hour.
Bring out to a baking pan with silicone Silpat (for non-stick). I have found this is the best way.
Shape dough into a rectangle or the shape you like. There will be stretchy action going on, so let the bread dough be rustic. It will look like small waves on the dough.
Then bake at 350°F for about 15-20 minutes.
Remove the bread from the baking pan and/or Silpat and add cheese to the pizza and place on top oven shelf a few inches away from the broil heating element in oven.
Be sure to remove any baking tools and elements that cannot withstand 525°F or higher broiling heat of your oven.
Shut the oven door. Turn the oven light on and the oven on to the broil setting to watch the broiling the entire time.
This will take about 30 seconds to a minute (or two) to light and fully heat up. You’ll see the red heating element from the top of the oven. Do not open oven when broiling hot. Broiling is not recommended for non-adults.
Let broil for about 2-4 minutes or until you see toasty medium to darker brown spots on the cheese, and exciting charring spots or on the edges of the bread. It’ll look a little like a wild spotted leopard.
You’ll see the cheese and bread bubbling up first. 😊
…And then maybe cheese dripping! You can see how it’s done in a home oven… that could be yours!
Then turn off the broil setting.
Remember, broiling is quick and hot, so do not get distracted (as you don’t want to burn or black charcoal your pizza).
When you see the nice browning effect on cheese and bread, turn the oven back to a bake setting like 350°F (or off if you’re done).
Still, do no open the oven for a few more minutes until the top broil red heating element is cooled/black again.
Then after the few minutes, check the bottom of the cheesy bread in the oven to see if it’s golden brown to your liking. You can finish off the cheesy bread by baking for a few more minutes and/or adding any last-minute toppings to heat up (that don’t need to be cooked)…
And then turn the oven off. Pull our your cheesy bread.
If you like this, you’ll love to make the best pizza crust and veggie pizza recipes.
Cheesy Bread You'll Love
Equipment
- Baking pan
- Silpat silicone mat
- standard oven with broil setting
Ingredients
- 1 cup bread flour (see notes)
- water
- 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 1/2 tsp salt (kosher salt recommended)
- 1/2 tsp semolina flour (optional)
- 1 tsp olive oil drops (optional)
- 2-4 ounce mozzarella or Buffalo mozzarella
Instructions
- Make the bread dough: combine ingredients, knead, and proof for at least one hour.
- Same day, spread sticky dough on baking pan and Silpat. Bake at 350°F/180°C for 20-25 minutes until bottom is solid and firm enough to pick up without breaking. Tip: Add semolina flour if desired to pan for a crunchy cheesy bread bottom.
- Pull out cheesy bread in pan. Add cheese in singular layers avoiding the edge of the bread. Drizzle drops of olive oil in the center of bread if desired. Remove pan and Silpat. Add only cheesy bread to top oven shelf by itself. Broil for 3-4 minutes until you see some brown spots on cheese and bread edges. You will see the bread and cheese bubbling in the oven. Do NOT over-broil. Pre-caution: Do not open oven door until the broil heating element is cooled (see notes*).
- Turn the oven back to baking setting at 350°F/180°C and finish baking bottom of cheesy bread until it's the golden brown color you like.
- Enjoy while warm!
Notes