Cast-Iron Skillet Margherita Pizza
Ingredients
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2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
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1 pound ready-made refrigerated pizza dough
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1 can whole peeled tomatoes
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½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
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1 teaspoon salt
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1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
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1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
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Sign up for full access to June's entire recipe library. Your first three months are complimentary, and you can cancel at any time. After your trial, a monthly subscription is $9.99 or an annual subscription is $99. Download the app and start cooking today!
Preferences
Rest the dough
Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Roll the dough on the floured surface to form it into a ball. Let the dough rest at room temperature until it is soft and poking it with a finger leaves an indentation that does not spring back, about 15 minutes.
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound ready-made refrigerated pizza dough
Start the sauce
Place the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and olive oil in the base of an immersion blender or medium bowl.
1 can whole peeled tomatoes
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
immersion blender
measuring spoons
Blend the sauce
Blend on medium-low to break up the tomatoes and mix the seasonings. The sauce should be chunky and not completely pureed. You should have about 1 cup of sauce. Set aside.
Preheat the June Oven
With the rack in the middle position, preheat the June Oven to 475°F on the Bake setting.
June Oven
Form the crust
Flatten the ball of dough with your hands, pressing it into a disk. Pick up the the edge of the dough disk and turn it in your hands like a steering wheel, letting gravity stretch the disk as you turn it. Keep turning until the dough round is about 12½” in diameter. Set the crust on the lightly floured surface.
Preheat the skillet
Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until smoking. Add oil and swirl to coat.
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
cast iron skillet
Start the crust
Carefully set the crust in the pan and spread it evenly in the pan. Brush oil over the crust.
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
pastry brush
Add sauce
Once the dough starts to bubble, spoon about 5 tablespoons of tomato sauce over the crust for a 12” pizza or 3 tablespoons for a small pizza. Smooth it evenly over the dough with the back of the spoon, leaving a ½” rim uncovered. Refrigerate or freeze any leftover sauce.
Add cheese
Tear the mozzarella into chunks and scatter them evenly over the sauce.
2 ounces fresh mozzarella
Add basil
Tear the basil leaves in your hands and scatter it evenly over the cheese. Allow the pizza to continue to cook over the medium heat until the crust is bubbling rapidly.
5 basil leaves
Bake the pizza
Using an oven mitt to protect yourself from the very hot handle, remove the skillet from the heat and place it on the middle shelf of the June Oven. Bake for 12 minutes 12” pizza or 10 minutes for a smaller pizza, or until the crust is golden brown. June will notify you when the pizza is ready.
Garnish
Carefully remove the pizza from the oven. Transfer the pizza to a chopping board. Garnish the pizza with red pepper flakes, if using.
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
flip spatula
chopping board
Cut and serve
Cut the pizza into the desired number of slices. Serve immediately.
pizza wheel