OH my word. I think I ate at Pizza Hut once in my life, clutching my book-it coupon, but it was memorable. That greasy crust on the “personal pan pizza” was marked on my memory in a very intense way; when I saw this recipe in my ATK magazine I couldn’t wait to give it a try.
I have a Lodge 12 inch skillet (they come preseasoned) and I infrequently use it, although my nonstick skillets keep chipping so it’s high time I figured it out already. They’re inexpensive and if this pizza is the only thing you ever make it it, I still think it’s worth the purchase. My kids went absolutely nuts for this pizza and ask for it all the time. It takes a bit of forethought because you make the dough the night before you make the pizza, but once you’ve done it you realize it’s simple. Greasy, crisped bottom, and crust that will win any crust competition on the PLANET. Thank you, America’s Test Kitchen, for this win.
Cast Iron Pan Pizza
America’s Test Kitchen
Serves 4
Dough
2 c. bread flour
1 tsp. table salt
1 tsp. instant or rapid rise yeast
1 c. warm water
Sauce
1 (14 oz. can) whole peeled or diced tomatoes
1 tsp. olive oil
1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. table salt
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
Pizza
3 tbsp. olive oil
4 oz (1 c.) Monterey Jack Cheese
7 oz (1 3/4 c.) mozzarella cheese, shredded
- In a mixing bowl using wooden spoon, mix flour salt, and yeast together.
- Add water and mix until flour is moistened. Using hands, knead dough in bowl until a sticky ball forms, about 1 minute.
- Spray a 9 inch pie plate with nonstick spray and transfer dough to plate; press into 8 inch disk. Spray top of dough with spray and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
- To make sauce, strain extra water from tomatoes. Place tomatoes in blender with rest of sauce ingredients. Process till smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Two hours before baking, remove dough from fridge and let sit 30 minutes.
- Coat bottom of 12 inch cast iron skillet with 3 tbsp. olive oil. Transfer dough to skillet and use fingertips to flatten disk till it’s 1/8th inch from edges. Let rise, covered tightly with plastic, for 1 1/2 hours.
- Heat oven to 400 degrees and place wire rack at lowest location in oven.
- Spread 1/2 c. sauce over pizza (leave 1/2 inch border). Sprinkle Monterey Jack cheese around edges and up edge of pan.
- Sprinkle mozzarella over the rest of the pizza.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and golden.
- Transfer skillet to stovetop and let sit 3 minutes. Loosen edges with butterknife. Asses browning on bottom of crust by lifting with a thin metal spatula. Cook pizza over medium heat until bottom crust is well browned, 2-5 minutes. Transfer pizza to wire rack to cool about ten minutes, then slice and serve.
