Cast Iron Pan Pizza

Cast iron pan pizza is a tasty alternative to pizzas made on a steel, or in a pizza-specific pan.  This recipe uses our classic New York pizza dough, plum tomatoes, block mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano cheese, and since it’s made in a cast iron pan, it holds up well to adding any additional toppings you’d like! 

Cast iron pizza is such an easy and great alternative to New York round pizza, which we cook on our pizza steel.  

This recipe is far easier and doesn’t require the stretching and launching that a classic New York pie requires, and since it uses the same cold-fermented dough, it still has excellent flavor.

And while we love a plain cheese cast iron pizza with some fresh basil, the fact that it’s cooked in a deep cast iron pan makes it an excellent base for toppings, like pepperoni, anchovy, mushrooms, olives, sausage, etc.

Like all our pizza recipes, this one is great with a side of garlic knots and a salad to round it out.

How to make cast iron pizza

First, make the dough

Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.

1. Place 9 ounces (260g) of water into a bowl large enough to hold both the water and the dry ingredients with room to spare.  In a separate bowl, add 3 1/4 cups (406g) of bread flour, 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) of instant yeast, 1 1/2 teaspoons (8g) of fine sea salt, and 1 teaspoon (4g) of sugar and mix until combined.
2. Add the dry ingredients to the water a little at a time and mix thoroughly to form a dry, rough mass.

3. Pour 1 tablespoon (14g) of olive oil over the dough and mix again to scrape off any residue stuck to the side of the bowl.  Place the rough shaggy dough onto a work surface. Knead the dough for 5-7 minutes.  If the dough is too sticky, place a clean inverted bowl over the dough and wait 30 minutes before resuming.
4. Return to kneading (be sure to knead for at least a total of 5 minutes), then place the bowl over the dough once more and allow it to sit for 30-40 minutes before forming the dough ball.  After 40 minutes, pull the dough toward its end repeatedly to form a smooth ball.  Pinch the seam side and place the dough ball seam-side-down into an oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least 12 hours, but preferably 1 day before using.

The next day, make the pizza

1. After 1 day, the dough will be ready to use and can be removed from the refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to using.  It can also be added to the pan right away, but allowing it to come to room temp will make it easier to stretch.
2. Coat the bottom of a 12-inch cast iron pan with a 1/4 cup of olive oil.  

3. Place the dough into the pan and use your fingertips to press the dough into the edge of the pan.  You might not be able to do this in one attempt.  
4. Place plastic wrap over the pan and allow the dough to warm up.  After two hours the dough should have filled the pan.  If not, simply press it into the sides of the pan with your fingers once more.  Cover again with plastic wrap and preheat the oven to 550f setting a rack to the middle level.
5. Mince 2 cloves of garlic and combine with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and set aside.  Drain 12 ounces of crushed plum tomatoes of any excess water.  Take 1 1/2 cups of the drained tomatoes and add 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, mixing to combine.  Shred 10 ounces of low moisture block mozzarella and grate 2 tablespoons worth of Pecorino Romano cheese.
6. Remove the plastic wrap from the pan and if required, press the dough into the edges.  Spread the sauce to the edges of the dough. You can go all the way to the edge or leave some open to show a crust.  Doesn’t matter since you are in the cast iron pan.

7. Top with the shredded mozzarella.
8. Drizzle the garlic oil all over the top of the pizza.
9. Bake the pizza for 14 minutes, then remove it from the oven and top it with the Pecorino and 1 teaspoon of Sicilian oregano.  
10. Return to the oven and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

11. Check the pizza’s underside with a spatula.  If the pizza’s bottom isn’t brown enough, cook the pizza in the pan on the stovetop over medium heat until the bottom is browned to your liking.  Make sure to check frequently to not burn the pizza!
12. Let the pizza sit for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.  Enjoy!

Top tips

• Pan size.  Feel free to use a different-sized cast iron pan if you’d like. This recipe yields a very thick 12-inch pizza, or a thinner 14-inch pizza. If using a 14-inch pan, you may need to stretch the dough a bit more and since it’s thinner, it will cook in less time.  About 12-14 minutes.  Since there is more area you’ll need more cheese and sauce.
• Cold fermentation. Fermenting the dough in the fridge for at least 12 hours is important.  You can cold ferment it for as long as 72 hours for even better taste.
• Stand mixer. If you prefer to use a stand mixer as opposed to mixing the dough by hand, simply knead at low speed for ~5 minutes before balling the dough and placing it in the oiled, tightly closed container overnight. 
• Toppings. The higher edges of the cast iron pan help prevent any toppings from spilling over the side, so feel free to load up on extra toppings in addition to the cheese, sauce, oil, and oregano.
• Browning the bottom.  One of the benefits of using a cast iron pan to cook pan pizza is that if the bottom isn’t brown enough, you can simply place it on the stovetop to crisp it up.  Just use extreme caution when doing so as the pan will be very hot after being in the 550f oven.

More awesome pizza recipes

In addition to our classic New York pizza recipe mentioned above, we think you’ll love these other pizza recipes.

• New York Sicilian pizza – thick and chewy with the classic New York-Sicilian flavor.
• New York white pizza – round pizza loaded with ricotta, mozzarella, Pecorino, and garlic.
• Grandma pizza – rectangular pizza topped with sliced mozzarella, garlic oil, and tomato.

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