Skillet Pizza

This recipe makes something very similar to the legendary Pizza Hut pan pizza. Super easy and requires a little prep.

For the dough

¾ cup water. Bottled or spring water, tap water will kill your yeast. The water needs to be warmed. Heat it in microwave for 45 seconds to 1min. The water should not be piping hot as that will kill the yeast as well. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar to water. Add 1 packet of yeast, not rapid rise yeast. Let the yeast activate it should develop a froth on top of the water. Place 2 cups of All Purpose flour in a bowl or bowl of stand mixer. Add 1 ½ teaspoons salt to the flour and mix. Add fresh or dried herbs as desired. Add activated yeast, water and sugar to the flour and with wooden spoon combine or with dough hook of stand mixer combine and knead either with stand mixer or by hand for 1 min. Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in bowl and coat dough in the bowl with olive oil. Let rise for a minimum of 1 hour. I often make the dough the morning of or the night before and cover with plastic wrap and let it rise in the refrigerator overnight.

If the dough was in the refrigerator take out 30 min prior to cooking and uncover.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Use a 12-inch cast iron skillet and generously coat the bottom with olive oil.

If you want one classic thick crust pizza, use all the dough for one pizza. If you want 2 thinner crust skillet pizzas cut the dough in half. Of note if you want 2 thick crust skillet pizzas double the water, salt, and flour for the dough recipe. You do not need to double the yeast or the sugar.

Take the dough and press it into the pan into the shape of the skillet leaving 1/8 of an inch border.

Top the dough with pizza sauce of your choosing, cheese, and toppings of choice.

The thing the really makes this pizza is the cheese crust. Use either shredded gouda or Monterey jack and spread generously around the border and covering crust.

Place in oven and bake 25-30 min or until done.

Let cool and it slide right out of the skillet. If making another pizza oil skillet again and start process over again.

Enjoy!