Cast Iron Pan Pizza

Step 1

For the dough Start the day before!!!

Step 2

Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir flour, salt, and yeast together in bowl. Add warm water and mix until most of flour is moistened. Using your hands, knead dough in bowl until dough forms sticky ball, about 1 minute. Spray 9 inch pie plate or cake pan with oil spray. Transfer dough to prepared plate and press into7 - 8 inch disk. Spray top of dough with oil spray. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 - 24 hours.

Step 3

For the Sauce (so easy, no cooking. Ok, or use your favorite marinara, it’s okay)

Step 4

Place tomatoes in fine-mesh strainer and crush with your hands. Drain well, then transfer to food processor. Add oil, garlic, sugar, salt oregano and pepper flakes and process until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Step 5

For Pizza (You will need to start 2.5 hours before eating time)

Step 6

Two hours before baking, remove dough for refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Coat bottom of 12 inch cast-iron skillet with oil. Transfer dough to prepared skillet and use your fingers to flatten dough until it is 1/8 inch from edge of skillet. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rest until slightly puffy, about 1.5 hours.

Step 7

Thirty minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spread 1/2 cup sauce evenly over top of dough. Sprinkle Monterey Jack evenly over the border. Press Monterey Jack into side of skillet, forming 1/2 to 3/4 inch tall wall. (Not all cheese will stick to side of skillet). Evenly sprinkle mozzarella over sauce. Bake until cheese at edge of skillet is well browned, 25 - 30 minutes.

Step 8

Transfer skillet to stovetop and let sit until sizzling stops, about 3 minutes. Run butter knife around rim of skillet to loosen pizza. Using thin metal spatula, gently lift edge of pizza and peek at underside to assess browning. Cook pizza over medium heat until bottom crust is browned, 2 - 5 minutes. Using two spatulas, transfer pizza to wire rack and let cool for ten minutes.