Pan Pizza

Ingredients

• no-knead pizza dough
• pizza sauce
• cheese
• olive oil
• pepperoni
• mushrooms
• pineapple

Method

Heat your oven to its maximum setting — most domestic ovens cap at 240–250°C, which is fine; the cast-iron-pan itself will bridge the gap by conducting retained heat up through the dough base. A preheated cast-iron skillet is non-negotiable here; cold metal means a soggy, pale bottom crust.

Coat the skillet generously with olive oil. This does two jobs: it prevents the dough sticking and it fries the underside of the crust as it cooks, building the colour and texture you cannot get from oven heat alone. Use enough that a thin pool sits visibly on the base.

Oil your hands lightly and shape the cold pizza-dough into a rough ball. Press it into the centre of the hot skillet — it will resist and only partially cover the base. This resistance is the dough telling you its gluten structure is still tight. Cover the skillet with a lid or heavy foil and let it dough-rest|rest for 30 minutes. The dough will relax and warm, and the retained heat begins a gentle proof, which loosens the structure.

After the rest, press the dough outward to fill the skillet evenly, working from the centre toward the edges. If it springs back, wait two minutes and try again; the gluten needs a second window to relax. Spread your pizza-sauce in a thin, even layer — overloading with sauce waterloggs the crust. Scatter cheese, then your toppings. Pineapple and pepperoni work here, as does mushroom; just keep the load moderate so the dough finishes cooking before the cheese chars completely.

Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 15–18 minutes. The crust is done when the edges are deeply golden and crisp, and the underside — which you can check by tilting the skillet slightly — is mahogany brown and firm. The cheese should be melted and bubbling but not blackened. Remove the skillet from the oven carefully; the handle will be extremely hot. Slide the pizza onto a cutting board, let it rest for two minutes so the cheese sets, then slice and serve.