Pizza toast is a throwback snack popularized in Japan’s classic kissaten coffee shops. The first kissaten to serve pizza toast — milk bread topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella and pizza toppings, toasted until the cheese is melted and bubbling — is reportedly Cafe Benisica in Tokyo, in 1964, which is still operating. The key to this version is to first make toasty garlic bread, and I use marinara instead of the yoshoku (“Western-style food”) tradition of making a ketchup-based tomato sauce. Add the sauce and pizza toppings to the garlic bread and continue to bake it in the oven until the cheese is bubbling and melted.
Note: This makes more garlic butter than you will need for the recipe; save any left over for another use (more garlic bread). It will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks. (For Valentine’s Day, cut the pepperoni into hearts, if desired.)
