It’s the crust that makes this so special—both crisp and chewy at the same time. You can top it with whatever you like. Any veggies. Any sauce. You top it. You name it. It’s yours.
I never thought I could make a homemade pizza that would fulfill all my finicky pizza requirements. The crust must be firm and never floppy. It must be tender, but never dry. Thin, but with enough dough to let me know it started with yeast. Never did I think I could make a pizza that fit all these criteria at home, especially without a pizza oven, pizza stone or any extra gear. Then I tried this one in my cast-iron skillet. I have since become so hooked that I make it once a week. I can’t get enough of it. Truth be told, I have become a cast iron pizza junkie.
For me, a good slice of bread must have a crispy crust with a soft, tender inside. That is exactly the type of crust I get with my cast-iron skillet when I make pizza in it—an amazing crust that is crispy, doughy and still thin. I can top it with whatever suits my mood or fills my fridge and it cooks up crisp and tender.
I am in love. I am ecstatic. Rarely does a new cooking technique excite me like this one.
As an added bonus, making pizza in a cast-iron skillet gives you options. You can get the crust as crispy as you like. The amount of crunch depends on how brown you cook it on top of the stove. Karl and I have a slight parting of the ways over how crisp the crust should be. I am an ultra-crispy crust kinda gal. He likes his tender with just a little crunch. Guess who wins? I’d bet odds on the cook!
The Dough
I don’t make it, but you can. I either purchase it frozen from Whole Foods or refrigerated from Safeway. They are both good, but I am partial to the Whole Foods dough, because it has slightly better flavor. In order to work with the dough easily, it should be removed from the fridge at least 30 minutes before using. If it is too cold, it is harder to stretch out.
The Toppings
You’re the cook. You decide. Anything goes. I begin with a good marinara sauce (usually jarred), but any sauce will work—red, white or green, (think pesto). I like to sauté slices of chicken sausage, but cooked Italian bulk sausage works great too. So do slices of pepperoni or ham. Or omit meat. You choose the veggies and the cheese, if you want them. Everything’s up for grabs. I haven’t made two pizzas the same since I began making them.
Seasoning & Storing Your Skillet
If you don’t already own a cast-iron skillet, making pizza is a good enough reason to run out and purchase one. Before you begin cooking, you need to season the pan. Even if you purchase one labeled pre-seasoned, it will benefit from seasoning, since heating more layers of fat improves its nonstick properties. To season, use a paper towel to rub your pan all over with a very light coat of neutral oil like grapeseed or vegetable. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and place the pan on a rack upside-down (this prevents oil from pooling). After an hour the pan should have a matte dark finish. Let cool and rub another very light coat of oil all over before storing. The very best thing you can do to maintain that new seasoning is to get cooking. Each time you cook a steak or chicken thigh, the fat adds another coat to the pan’s surface, which will create a glassy finish over time. Re-season when your pan starts to look dry and dull or if you can’t remember the last time you cooked in it.
Now I have a request. I haven’t taught this pizza nor have I seen anyone else make it. Please, make it and pretty please, after you make it, leave us a comment so we’ll know how you like it. Or, if you have questions, feel free to add them below. I will be happy to give you more details or answer any questions or concerns. I want you to be as happy with this pizza as I am. But be forewarned. If you have kids, they will be begging you for pizza every night. If you are cooking for an adult kid, like me, the same warning applies.
Drizzle the dough with olive oil and then stretch it to 10 to 12-inches depending on your pan size.
Carefully move the dough to your pan and push it out to the edges. Spread with desired toppings.
Using a spatula, lift up an edge of the pizza and check underneath. You want it to be pale golden. (I apologize for the lousy photo. It’s difficult to lift and shoot at the same time, but this is the color you want..)
CAST-IRON PIZZA WITH CHICKEN SAUSAGE & OLIVES (ingredients are listed for either a 10-inch or 12-inch skillet)
For best results, be sure the pizza dough is not too cold and that you follow the technique closely.
12 oz. pizza dough for a 10-inch skillet; 14 to 16 oz. for a 12-inch skillet, at room temperature at least 45 minutes
4 tablespoons EVOO, divided (This is enough for either size skillet)
8 oz. chicken sausage, sliced
Kosher salt
1/3 to 1/2 cup marinara or desired pizza sauce
3/4 to 1 1/4 cups coarsely grated low-moisture mozzarella or desired cheese
1/4 to 1/3 cup sliced ripe or desired olives
3 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
Crushed red pepper flakes and torn basil leaves, for serving.
Place a rack in top-most position of oven. Preheat to 450 degrees.
Place dough on a work surface; drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil; turn to coat. Stretch out to a 10-inch or 12-inch round.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium high heat until hot. Sauté sausage until golden on each side, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Reduce heat to medium and remove skillet from heat. Carefully lay dough inside; use a spoon to help extend it to the edges.
Season with salt, then spread with sauce. Top with cheese, garlic and cooked sausage. Drizzle with another 2 tablespoons oil.
Return to medium heat and cook until the bottom is pale golden brown when you peek underneath it, about 3 minutes. It will continue to brown in the oven.
Transfer skillet to oven and bake pizza on top rack until crust is golden brown around the edges and cheese is browned in spots ad bubbling all over, 10 to 14 minutes.
Cool 5 minutes then top with red pepper flakes and basil .
Makes 6 to 8 slices.
Seasoning and recipe adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine article on All About Cast-Iron.
