cast iron pizza

A pan pizza recipe for those who love a thick and crispy crust that's golden on the botton, but puffy and soft under the layers of sauce and mozzarella.

Foolproof Pan Pizza Recipe

bread flour (14 ounces;

kosher salt (0.35 ounces;

instant yeast (0.15 ounces;

water (9.5 ounces; about 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons)

extra-virgin olive oil

pizza sauce,

mozzarella cheese (see note)

Toppings

basil leaves (optional)

grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese (optional)

Combine flour, salt, yeast, water, and oil in a large bowl. Mix with hands or a wooden spoon until no dry flour remains. (The bowl should be at least 4 to 6 times the volume of the dough to account for rising.)

Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap, making sure that the edges are well sealed, then let rest at cool room temperature (no warmer than 75°F) for at least 8 hours and up to 24. Dough should rise dramatically and fill bowl. In a hot kitchen, the dough may overproof near the end of that range.

Sprinkle top of dough lightly with flour, then transfer it to a well-floured work surface. Divide dough into 2 pieces and form each into a ball by holding it with well-floured hands and tucking the dough underneath itself, rotating it until it forms a tight ball.

Pour 1 to 2 tablespoons oil in the bottom of two 10-inch cast iron skillets or round cake pans (see note). Place 1 ball of dough in each pan and turn to coat evenly with oil. Using a flat palm, press dough around the pan, flattening it slightly and spreading oil around the entire bottom and edges of the pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let dough sit at room temperature for 2 hours (at room temperatures above 75°F, the dough may require less time to rise; at temperatures below 65°F/18°C deg;F, it may require more time). After the first hour, adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 550°F (290°C).

After 2 hours, dough should be mostly filling the pan up to the edges. Use your fingertips to press it around until it fills in every corner, popping any large bubbles that appear. Lift up one edge of the dough to let any air bubbles underneath escape, then repeat, moving around the dough until there are no air bubbles left underneath and the dough is evenly spread around the pan.

Top each round of dough with 3/4 cup sauce, spreading sauce to the very edge with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese, all the way to the edges. Season with salt. Add other toppings as desired. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter a few basil leaves over the top of each pizza, if desired.

Transfer pan to oven and bake until top is golden brown and bubbly and bottom is golden brown and crisp when you lift it with a thin spatula, 12 to 15 minutes. Immediately sprinkle with grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, if using. Using a thin spatula, loosen pizza and peek underneath. If bottom is not as crisp as desired, place pan over a burner and cook on medium heat, moving the pan around to cook evenly until it is crisp, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove the pizzas and transfer to a cutting board. Cut each pizza into 6 slices and serve immediately.

This cast iron pizza with spicy Italian sausage is prepared with an easy, no-knead pizza dough and is a scrumptious offering for pizza night!

Cast Iron Pizza

all-purpose flour

sugar

salt

Italian seasoning

instant yeast (or active dry yeast)

water

olive oil,

mozzarella cheese

marinara sauce (homemade

black olives

basil leaves, torn,

To prepare your pizza dough, add your flour, sugar, salt, Italian seasoning and yeast into a large bowl, and whisk to blend; slowly drizzle in the water and the olive oil, and using a wooden spoon (or even your clean hands), mix together for 1-2 minutes until the dough comes together to form a sticky ball; cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, you will do the “fold-over” technique with the dough: place your hand into the bowl on the side of the dough as if you're going to lift it out, but instead, pull the dough up and over itself, turning the bowl 90 degrees with each turn, for a total of 4 fold-over turns; allow the dough to rest 5 minutes.

Once again, do another round of folding the dough up and over itself, turning the bowl 90 degrees with each fold-over, for a total of 4 fold-over turns. Allow the dough to rest again for 5 minutes.

Do this fold-over technique for a third time, allow the dough to rest again for 5 minutes, then do it once more for a fourth and final time.

Cover the dough and allow it to rest for 40 minutes at room temp, then place into the fridge for at least 12 hours, or up to 72 hours.

When ready to bake your pizza, remove the pizza dough from the fridge about 2 1/2 - 3 hours beforehand; drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into your cast iron skillet and grease it well, then add the dough in and turn it to coat both sides in the oil.

Gently press the dough towards the edge of the skillet, dimpling it with your fingertips, until it reaches the edge (if the dough shrinks back, allow it to rest for 15 minutes, then try again; repeat if necessary).

Once you have your pizza dough pressed all the way to the edge of your skillet, cover in plastic wrap and allow the dough to proof for 2 hours in a warm spot in your kitchen, slowly puffing up.

About 20-30 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 450°, and place your oven rack on the lower third section of the oven.

Once the oven is hot, top your pizza by sprinkling about 1 cup of the cheese onto the pizza dough all the way to the edges (it'll bake into the edges of the crust), then dollop spoonfuls of your sauce over the cheese; next, sprinkle over another 1/2 cup of the cheese (reserving the remaining 1/4 cup), and add the browned sausage and olives in a single layer.

Place the pizza into the oven to bake for about 20 minutes; then, remove the pizza and sprinkle over the reserved 1/4 cup of cheese, and place the pizza back into the oven for 2-4 minutes more until that cheese is melted and the pizza is golden on top, as well as golden-brown underneath when lifted slightly with a spatula.

Remove the pizza from the oven and carefully run a knife along the edges to release any baked on cheese for easier removal; allow the pizza to rest in the skillet for 5 minutes.

When you can handle the pizza, carefully lift it out of the cast iron skillet and place it onto a cutting board; then, cut into 8 wedges, sprinkle with fresh basil, and serve.

Ditch the pizza stone for this cast iron skillet pizza!  There is no outer crust on a skillet pizza so the toppings go from edge to edge, which means extra cheese, extra toppings, extra delicious!  Crisp bottom, soft chewy center - think of this like a deep dish pizza but not as deep.  Did I forget to mention all you need is 30 minutes?

The Best Cast Iron Skillet Pizza (30 Minute)

pizza dough ball,

olive oil + more if needed

mozzarella cheese, grated

pepperonis

oregano

tomatoes

olive oil

tsp kosher salt

garlic,

red pepper flakes

This recipe is for TWO skillet pizzas using...

This recipe is for TWO skillet pizzas using one dough ball, cut in half

Preheat oven to 500

Heat the cast iron skillet on a stovetop...

Heat the cast iron skillet on a stovetop over medium heat

Add enough olive oil to the bottom of...

Add enough olive oil to the bottom of the skillet to completely cover it, about 2-3 tbsp but you may need more or less

Divide the dough into two pieces, use a...

Divide the dough into two pieces, use a rolling pin to roll each piece out on a floured surface so it is slightly bigger than the skillet

Place the dough in the skillet, cook a...

Place the dough in the skillet, cook a few minutes, you will see it bubble up

Use a spatula to check the bottom it...

Use a spatula to check the bottom it should be a light golden color

Add the toppings going all the way to...

Add the toppings going all the way to the edges, start with pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese then top with pepperonis

Bake in the oven until the cheese is...

Bake in the oven until the cheese is completely melted, switch the oven to the broil setting and cook until your desired level of crisp (2-3 minutes is usually enough)

Carefully remove from the oven and slide the...

Carefully remove from the oven and slide the pizza on to a cutting board to cool

Prepare your next pizza with the same steps...

Prepare your next pizza with the same steps as above

Sprinkle oregano on top before serving

Want to learn how to make restaurant-quality pizza in your cast iron skillet? Just grab your pan and a ball of pizza dough (at room temp), prep your toppings, and get ready for pizza night!

Cast Iron Skillet Pizza

pizza dough

Sauce and desired toppings

Preheat your cast iron pan.

Place your cast iron skillet or pan on the middle rack of the oven. Set the oven to bake at 500°F or the highest possible temperature (my oven goes up to 550°F). Let the oven and cast iron skillet or pan preheat for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Let the pizza dough come to room temperature.

If your dough was refrigerated, place it on the counter and let it come to room temperature while the pan heats up in the oven. If you are working with a 12- to 14-inch cast iron skillet, keep the dough ball in one piece. If your cast iron skillet is 10 inches in diameter or smaller, cut the dough ball in half to make two pizzas. (Cover the second half of dough with an upside-down bowl while you make the first pizza. Then, when the first pizza is done, quickly slide it onto a cutting board and assemble the second pizza using the instructions in step 6.)

Prep all of the pizza toppings.

Mix your sauce, grate or cube your cheese(s), cook your meat(s), and/or chop raw veggie toppings. (See ingredient list above for general topping quantities for a 12- to 14-inch pizza.)

Roll or stretch out the dough.

Transfer the pizza dough to a lightly floured surface. Roll or stretch it out to the size of your cast iron skillet.

Prep your work surface.

Place a trivet or folded towel on your work surface, and make sure all of your prepped toppings are within arm&#039;s reach. Pour a little olive oil (2 or 3 tablespoons) into a small bowl or ramekin, fold up a few pieces of paper towel, and grab a pair of tongs (this is for oiling your pan).

Take the hot pan out of the oven and assemble your pizza.

Using heavy-duty oven mitts, carefully transfer the cast iron pan from the oven to the trivet on your work surface. BE CAREFUL: THE PAN WILL BE VERY HOT. Grab the folded-up paper towels with the tongs, dip the paper towel wad in the olive oil, and wipe it evenly all over the inside of the hot cast iron skillet. Quickly lay the rolled or stretched-out dough in the skillet and press it out to the edges of the pan, being careful not to burn your fingers. Arrange the sauce, cheese, and toppings on top of the dough. If desired, season with a pinch of salt, a grind or two of black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Bake the pizza.

Put your oven mitts back on and return the cast iron skillet to the middle oven rack. Bake the pizza for 10 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden around the edges and the bottom is evenly browned. (At the 10-minute mark, use a spatula to lift the pizza out of the pan and take a peek at the bottom of the crust.)

Slice and serve.

Using your oven mitts, remove the cast iron skillet from the oven. Carefully slide the pizza out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Let it cool down for a few minutes, then slice and serve.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3hF9j_ONNQ

Want to learn how to make restaurant-quality pizza in your cast iron skillet? In this video, I'll walk you through the process step by step and give you some handy tips for perfect results every time. Just grab your cast iron skillet and a ball of pizza dough (at room temp), prep your toppings, and get ready for pizza night!

For hundreds of topping combos, pizza dough and sauce recipes, and pizza-making videos and how-tos, visit ThursdayNightPizza.com.

Got other FAQ video requests? Let me know in the comments!

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