CAST IRON PIZZAS

CAST IRON PIZZAS

Garlic naan dough, cooked twice in a cast iron till ultra crispy, then topped with tomato sauce, chili flakes, parmesan cheese, low moisture mozzarella, pepperoni and placed under a broiler. After 3 minutes, the sliced red onions, freshly torn basil and more grated parm goes on top. These are all of my favorite toppings. Highly recommend, but you may obviously adjust. This recipe makes about 6 pizzas so you can try all different combinations. There's some prep involved, like with any homemade pizza, but you can make all of your crust ahead of time, gather your toppings, and then enjoy the fun and fast part of building pies, throwing them under the broiler, and tasting hot, fresh out the oven, CRISPY, pizza at home. It's a good time.

Recipe credit for garlic naan dough- Cafe Delights; using this recipe as intended with garlic butter is also very delicious!

PREP TIME: for naan dough rise- 1 hr | COOK TIME: for crust- 30 min. ; after toppings are added and pie is placed under broiler- 3-4 min. | SERVINGS: makes about 6 pizzas

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INGREDIENTS

FOR NAAN DOUGH

DRY

- 4 cups plain flour + more for dusting

- 1 tsp baking powder

-1 1/2 teaspoons rapid rise yeast (does not need to be activated)

WET

- 3/4 cup milk

- 3/4 cup plain greek yogurt

- 1/4 cup water

- 2 teaspoons sugar

- 2 tsp salt (modified from OG recipe)

- 1/4 cup neutral oil + more for cooking

- 2 cloves garlic minced

FOR PIZZA

- naan or pita dough

- tomato sauce, store bought or homemade- some passata (tom. puree) simmered in a pot for 15 minutes with grated garlic, pinch of chili flakes, salt and a drizzle of olive oil is delicious. Add a pinch of sugar if sauce taste too acidic.

- low moisture shredded mozzarella

- grated parmesan (block)

- thinly sliced pepperoni

- thinly sliced onions

- fresh basil

- chili flakes

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR NAAN CRUST

1. Combine dry and wet ingredients separately. Then pour wet on top of dry and mix with large spoon or spatula until the dough starts to come together.

2. Spill out unto work space and kneed till smooth- 3-5 min.

3. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Allow to rise for 1 hr. Dough should double in size.

4. Divide into balls. My preference is to divide into balls weighing 120-130 grams. This fits nicely in my 10" cast iron without going up on the sides. Dough that goes up on the sides doesn't get as crispy and this recipe is all about achieving crispy homemade pizza. No flop.

5. Dust working surface with flour. Roll out dough to fit in cast iron. You want to roll the dough out pretty thin so it gets crispy. While rolling out dough, preheat cast iron.

6. With a paper towel or brush evenly coat your preheated cast iron with oil.

7. Begin cooking your naan crusts. The heat of the pan should be hot enough that your naan sizzles as soon as it hits the pan and starts to bubble. If you get black spots on your naan as soon as you place the dough in the pan, turn the heat down a bit. Brush each side of naan with oil to help it crisp. Once both sides are crisp and you can hold the naan is not floppy at all. Set aside on baking rack.

8. Placing the cooked naans back in the pan one more time after they've cooled and before you put your toppings, just for another minute or two will guarantee a no flop pizza.

9. With naan in cast iron, off heat or low heat if you're finishing up that crust, start adding toppings. I like to go in this order. Spoon on tomato sauce, then freshly grated parm and chili flakes, mozzarella, pepperoni.

10. Set oven to broil. Place cast iron with pizza on top rack in oven. Broil for 3-4 minutes till everything is bubbling and that cheese has some golden brown spots. Don't walk away from the oven while on broil.

12. Remove pizza from oven. Add sliced red onions, more grated parm and freshly torn basil- or your favorite finishing touches.

13. Continue with rest of pizzas. Leftover dough can be stored in fridge and used the next day.

SUGGESTIONS/NOTES

• Throw a pizza party! Prep the toppings and crust before your guests arrive. Build the pizzas when they arrive yourself or have everyone help. Just lock in once you put that pie under the broiler. A minute under the broiler is as long as a minute on a treadmill.

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