Crispy Cheesy Cast Iron Pizza
A cast iron pan pizza with a deeply golden, crisp bottom, airy yet chewy crumb, and layers of melty mozzarella, sharp provolone, and bright tomato sauce. Rich, balanced, and beautifully caramelized at the edges.
Servings: 8 small slices
Calories: 212kcal
Equipment
- cast iron pan 10 inches (may substitute a cake pan); a 9-inch will make it a little thicker, and a 12-inch will make it a little thinner
- heavy oven mitts to remove the cast iron pan from the oven
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 240 g bread flour
- 170 g water
- 5.3 g fine sea salt
- 1 g instant yeast
- 10 g olive oil
- 5 g sugar
For the Toppings
- 227 g low-moisture whole milk mozzarella grated
- 150 g thick pizza sauce may make homemade pizza sauce
To Finish (All Optional)
- Finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- Extra virgin olive oil drizzle
- Dried oregano or fresh basil
- Flaky salt
Instructions
To Make the Dough
- In a medium bowl (may use mixer or do by hand), combine the bread flour, salt, yeast, and sugar (if using). Add the water and olive oil and mix until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour remains. Knead until the dough comes together, and then for another 2 or 3 minutes.
- Perform a series of stretch-and-folds by pulling each side of the dough up and folding it over the center. Once all four sides have been folded, turn the dough over and gently shape it into a tight ball by tucking the edges underneath as you rotate it. Rest the dough for 20 minutes and then repeat the stretch/folds and balling twice.
- Place the dough in an airtight bag or covered bowl, and transfer the dough to the refrigerator. Let it ferment for at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours.
To Shape the Pizza
- On bake day, remove the dough from the refrigerator about 3 to 4 hours before baking. Keep it covered and allow it to come to room temperature for about 1 hour.
- Pour ~1½ tablespoons of olive oil into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet and coat the bottom and sides. Place the dough onto the counter first and stretch it to the size of the pan, then place it in the pan, and gently press and dimple it toward the edges.
- If it resists or shrinks back, let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes and continue pressing until it reaches the edges. Cover and let rise at room temperature for about 2 hours, until slightly puffy.
To Bake the Pizza
- About 30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 475°F with one rack closest to the oven floor and one rack in the center of the oven.
- Just before baking, scatter most of the mozzarella evenly over the dough, spreading it close to the edges if you’d like crisp, caramelized sides. Spoon the sauce in a loose spiral over the cheese, leaving some areas exposed, then finish with the remaining cheese.
- Bake on the lower rack for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the bottom is deeply golden and crisp and the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned.
- Check the top of the pizza after 10 to 12 minutes. If you’d like additional color on top, move the skillet to the center rack for the final 1 to 2 minutes. If it's browning too quickly, keep the pan in the bottom of the oven, but carefully place a piece of aluminum foil loosely over the top of the pan.
- Remove from the oven and immediately run a knife around the edges to loosen. Carefully lift the pizza out of the pan and transfer to a cooling rack for a few minutes to keep the bottom crisp.
- If you like, add fresh basil, oregano, a very light drizzle of olive oil, and some grated parmesan to the top of the pizza. Slice and serve warm!
Notes
If the bottom isn’t deeply golden, return the skillet to the lower rack for 2–3 more minutes before removing from the pan.
Baker's percentages:
- Flour: 100%
- Water: 70.8%
- Salt: 2.2%
- Yeast: 0.4%
- Olive oil: 4.2%
- Sugar: 2.1%
Nutrition
Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 525mg | Potassium: 109mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 274IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 151mg | Iron: 1mg