Cast-Iron Pan Pizza
Another reason to love your cast iron pan.
Serves: Makes one 12-inch pizza
I am a grilled pizza nut, and during the summer if we are anywhere near a grill my family clamors for it. Clamors, I tell you. But sometimes we are not near a grill, or sometimes it’s cold, or rainy, or hailing, and there is no amount of clamoring that will get me to grill a pizza in hail. But there is something so magical and gratifying about a homemade pizza that tastes as good as one you might get at a great pizzeria that I had to find a way to take my pizza-making show indoors.
Cast-Iron Pizza
It took a bit of trial and error to get to this pizza, but worth it, it was. I landed on this kind of cool approach where the pizza dough is partially baked in a super-hot pan before the toppings get added, which gives the bottom crust an amazing texture and ensures that the top doesn’t get soggy.
1 tablespoon tablespoon cornmeal (optional)
1 ball (12 ounces) pizza dough (see Note)
½ cup Super Simple Tomato Sauce sauce or store-bought (see Other Note)
About ¾ cup slivered fresh mozzarella
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon teaspoon dried oregano
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Kosher or coarse salt
8 to 10 fresh basil leaves (optional)
1. Let the pizza dough come to room temperature. Sprinkle the cornmeal, if using, on a cutting board or clean surface and pat the dough into a circle about 8 inches in diameter. Let it sit for another 20 to 30 minutes, then stretch it into a 12-inch circle.
2. Meanwhile, place a 12-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F. Let the skillet get screaming hot.
3. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and place it on a heat-tolerant surface. Gently transfer the dough to the skillet, pressing it out carefully so that it covers the bottom of the pan (this is NOT something the kids can help with). Avoid touching the skillet—obviously. Place it back in the oven and bake until the dough is slightly puffy, 3 minutes.
4. Remove the skillet again. Use a brush to brush the tomato sauce over the surface, deflating the dough somewhat, and leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Brush that border with the olive oil. Distribute the cheese over the tomato portion (see Fork in the Road for other topping possibilities), and sprinkle with the oregano and the red pepper flakes, if using. Sprinkle salt, to taste, over the whole pizza, including the edges. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the cheese is melty and the edges are golden-brown, another 8 minutes or so.
5. Remove the pizza from the oven, sprinkle with fresh basil, if desired, and serve hot. You can serve it out of the pan, warning everyone to steer clear of the hot pan, or slide it onto a cutting board.
Fork in the Road
When you add the cheese, add sliced black olives, slivered red onions, pepperoni, very thin slices of salami, quartered, crumbled cooked sausage, roasted or sautéed peppers, whatever you like.
Note
Do I make my own dough sometimes? Yes. And by sometimes I mean rarely. And by rarely I mean almost never. There’s a recipe for it in The Mom 100 Cookbook, if you have interest. Mostly I buy it at the supermarket, or at a pizza joint.
Other Note
Do I make my own sauce? Most of the time. And sometimes I open a jar. If you’re in the mood, this recipe is easy and pizza-perfect.