Cast Iron Deep Dish Pizza
This is one of my favorite dinners to make! I LOVE this recipe when I’ve had a particularly crappy day – There’s nothing like taking bucketloads of your frustrations out on the helpless dough with a powerful kneading rhythm. It’s cathartic – also delicious.
I figured I’d share, as it’s still too cold and damp to start gardening outside. The rain barrel is quite happy though and filling to the brim while it drizzles.
INGREDIENTS
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 C lukewarm water
2 TB olive oil
3 C all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 can pizza sauce of choice
Toppings of choice
2 C mozzarella cheese
DIRECTIONS
- Dissolve the active dry yeast into 2 tablespoons lukewarm water, add a pinch of sugar. This feeds the yeast and helps to activate it! Cover with saran wrap or tin foil and let sit for 15 minutes. The mixture should begin to bubble and expand.
- Combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl
- Make a well in the center of your dry mix and slowly pour in lukewarm water and yeast mixture, approximately 1/4 cups at a time. Stir with fork. The dough will begin to combine and become flaky. Continue to add water until dough reaches consistency. You may not use all of the water.
- Once the dough is combined, use 1 TB of olive oil in your palms to pick up the dough and place on floured surface.
- Knead dough for 8-10 minutes, adding flour to surface as needed to keep dough from sticking. Sometimes I like to add garlic salt at this step for a bit of added flavor in the crust! You’ll know it’s ready when you gently poke your finger into the dough and it bounces back into shape within a few seconds!
- Lightly grease a bowl, place dough inside, and cover with a damp towel. This keeps the dough from drying out and becoming crusty on the top.
- Let rise for 1 1/2 hours in a warm place, or until the dough has doubled in size.
- In a 12 inch greased cast iron pan, push dough into bottom and up all sides. If you’re brave like husband…try tossing the dough! This is a deep dish pizza, don’t be afraid of height on the sides of your pan!
- Layer your pizza with whatever toppings you want, then the cheese and top with pizza sauce until cheese is covered!
- Bake in the oven at 450 for 30 minutes, until the sauce has bubbled and the crust is a medium brown.
- Once the pizza comes out, let it sit and set for a few minutes, this helps everything to solidify a bit.
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Enjoy!
The best thing about this dough is its flexibility! It freezes well and can be kept in the freezer for at least a month. It could probably go longer, but ours never lasts that long! Pull it out in the morning and let it slowly rise in the fridge during the day!
If you’re not keen on deep dish, this recipe makes enough dough for two separate standard crust pizzas. Use the same cast iron pan and push the dough down so it covers the bottom of the pan. All you have to do is change your layering pattern. Start with sauce and apply toppings. Place in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove and apply cheese. Bake until cheese is a light golden brown and voila! More delicious pizza!
Here’s to hoping for warmer weather soon! I’m itching to get more dirt under my nails – Ohio seems to have other plans for the time being. For now – I’m content caring for our seedlings as they prepare for our raised beds! Stay tuned!
