Name: Iron Skillet Deep Dish Pizza Recipe
Prep time: 40 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 3 tbsp Olive Oil (for greasing the pan); 1 package Active Dry Yeast; 1 teaspoon Sugar; 1 cup Lukewarm Water; 2½ cups All Purpose Flour; 2 tbsp Olive Oil; 1 teaspoon Salt; 1 package Mozzarella Cheese (8 ounces); 1½ cups Pizza Sauce; 1 package Pepperoni; ¼ pound Italian Sausage (browned, crumbled, and drained); ¼ cup Parmesan Cheese; 1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes; 1 teaspoon Minced Garlic; 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning; Other pizza toppings, such as olives, peppers, onions, etc.

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This is a close look at a deep dish pizza in an iron skillet on a wooden table.

There are many different versions of pizza in the United States. Neapolitan-style pizza is the kind that most people consider to be a classic, basic style of pizza. New York City has its own style of pizza, with enormous, foldable slices. California pizza is known for its unusual toppings, and Detroit pizza is known for its square shape, rather than the typical round pizza pie.

Deep dish pizza is also known as “Chicago style” pizza. Legend has it that deep-dish pizza was invented in the Windy City. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, Italian immigrants from the Naples, Italy area came to the city of Chicago in search of work in the city’s many factories. They brought along with them the love of their traditional pizzas.

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Iron Skillet Deep Dish Pizza Recipe

April Freeman

While classic pizza seems to have been invented by the Italians in the 1700s or 1800s, over the years, it has become a classic American meal. With a delicious crust, classic Italian flavors like basil, thyme, and garlic, and plenty of gooey cheese, almost everyone loves a classic pizza. While there are fans of a crispy, chewy, thin-crust pizza, most folks have a special place in their hearts for a deep-dish piece of pizza.

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Prep Time 40 mins

Baking Time 30 mins

Total Time 1 hr 10 mins

Cuisine American

Servings Large Servings

Equipment

Medium-Sized Bowl
Deep Skillet

Ingredients

Crust Ingredients

3 tbsp Olive Oil for greasing the pan
1 package Active Dry Yeast
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 cup Lukewarm Water
2½ cups All Purpose Flour
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Salt

Pizza Toppings

1 package Mozzarella Cheese 8 ounces
1½ cups Pizza Sauce
1 package Pepperoni
¼ pound Italian Sausage browned, crumbled, and drained
¼ cup Parmesan Cheese
1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 teaspoon Minced Garlic
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
Other pizza toppings, such as olives, peppers, onions, etc.

Instructions

First, you will create the pizza crust. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the yeast and sugar with warm water. Let stand until foamy and bubbly. This should take about 10 or 15 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Pour the three tablespoons of olive oil into the pan and, using the handle, roll the skillet around to coat it in oil. Put the skillet into the oven to heat.
Stir in the flour, salt, and two tablespoons of olive oil. Beat them together until smooth. Knead on a lightly floured surface for about five minutes or until the dough is smooth and stretchy. Let the pizza dough rest for 20 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the oven and swirl the oil around in it to coat the bottom and sides of the skillet with oil. Set it on a heatproof surface and use care in handling it to avoid burns.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or press it into a round. Gently lift it into the hot skillet. Press the dough into the bottom of the skillet and up the sides to create a rim or crust for the pizza. Be careful as you do this, so you don’t burn yourself.
Sprinkle the minced garlic on the surface of the crust and half of the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the crust with the Italian seasoning as well. Add half of the cheese and the pizza sauce.
Add the other pizza toppings, except for the pepperoni. Add the other half of the Parmesan cheese and the remainder of the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle the cheese to within ¼ inch of the crust of the pizza. Finally, top the pizza with the pepperoni, overlapping them to top the pizza with a liberal layer of pepperoni. Sprinkle your crushed red pepper over the top of the pizza.
Turn the oven down to 450 degrees. Put the pizza in the oven and bake it for 25 to 30 minutes, turning the oven temperature down to 350 halfway through the baking time. Bake until the pizza crust and the cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Let the pizza rest for about 10 minutes before you cut it. Serve the pizza with a side salad. Store leftovers in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Notes

In the year 1943, two Italian immigrants opened a restaurant called Pizzeria Uno. They served pizza that was more like a pie than the typical thinner crusted pizza. They put the thick dough down into a cast iron pan and let the crust climb up the sides.

They added mounds of toppings to match the thickness of the crust and baked it for much longer to ensure that everything was thoroughly cooked. Almost 80 years later, Pizzeria Uno is still in existence in its same location in Chicago, serving its classic deep dish pizza.

While you may typically order deep dish pizza at an Italian pizzeria, did you know that you can create this classic dish in your own kitchen? By using the traditional cast-iron skillet, you can have a thick, chewy, and savory pizza.

These heavy pans will give a great crunch to the outer layer of your pizza crust. If you do not have a cast-iron skillet, you can use a cake pan instead. You may want to divide the dough into two smaller cake pans if you don’t have one that is large enough.

Keyword Iron Skillet Deep Dish Pizza, Main Course, Recipe

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