Cast Iron Pizza

Friday night dinners have been pizza night for us for years now. Sometimes we make just simple cheese pizzas and other times we go all out with our favorite toppings. Kids love to help make pizza too, which makes it even more special to them. This cast iron pizza crust is my go-to recipe. Paired with homemade pizza sauce and shredded or even fresh mozzarella cheese, it comes together easily and for way less than the price of takeout or delivery pizza. I’ve also used this crust recipe to make breadsticks by brushing garlic butter on top, sprinkling with a little salt, and dipping them in the homemade pizza sauce for a tasty change. 

Cast Iron Pizza Recipe

Ingredients for Pizza Crust

4 ¼ cups all-purpose or bread flour

2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast

1 teaspoons salt 

1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoons onion powder

1 tablespoons dried oregano 

1 ¾ cups warm water

2 tablespoons olive oil 

Ingredients for Pizza Sauce

3 cans crushed tomatoes (I prefer fire roasted)

2 teaspoons minced garlic 

2 teaspoons salt 

1 tablespoon oregano 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients together, including yeast, in the bowl of a stand mixer.
3. Add the warm water and olive oil.
4. Knead with the hook attachment on low speed until a cohesive, non-sticky, ball forms. Add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time if necessary to make the dough not sticky. Continue kneading for about 5 minutes. 
5. Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rise for about an hour, until it has doubled in size.
6. While the dough is rising, make the pizza sauce. Dump cans of crushed tomatoes into a food processor or blender (If you like a more chunky pizza sauce you can skip this step). Blend or process until the smoother/chunk free consistency desired is reached. 
7. Transfer to a medium sized saucepan, add the minced garlic, salt, and oregano, and bring to a simmer. 
8. Let simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, to blend the flavors and allow the sauce to thicken. Taste and add more seasonings if desired.
9. Punch dough down. Divide dough in half, placing each half on a lightly oiled 14 inch cast iron pan (pizza stones work well also).
10. Using your hands or a roller, push the dough out until it reaches the edge of the pan. Top with pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings of choice. 
11. Bake for approx. 15- 20 minutes. 
12. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing.