Pizza is one of my true loves in life. It is THE best! There are a crazy amount of varieties to choose from, thick crust, thin crust, Italian style, white sauce, red sauce, veggie, meat-lovers, vegan, gluten free etc. I have made up one variety, so you better believe I’ll be back with another within the year.
This is THE best pizza I’ve made from home and it’s all thanks to the Bon Appetit method of cooking pizza in a cast iron skillet. I really can’t find a variation completely my own that compares so this recipe is my dough and toppings with their method.
Here's the video demonstrating their use of the cast iron. I describe it below and do a few things differently, but I think it's still worth the watch!
If you don’t have a cast iron skillet don’t fret because I have other instructions for you! It’s a really good pizza too so don’t feel cheated. I use a half sheet pan for my pizza, but if you want you could use two, 12 inch round pans.
Bacon, Veggie and Goat Cheese Pizza
Makes two cast iron pizzas or one, half sheet pan pizza
Ingredients:
one packet yeast
1 cup water
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
2 1/ 2 cups flour
large pinch salt
tomato sauce
220g bacon (chopped
30g red onion (sliced)
30g green pepper (chopped)
80g mushroom (sliced)
160g mozzarella
50g goat cheese
(if not using the cast iron method you will also need about a handful of cornmeal.)
Cast Iron Method:
1. Combine yeast, water, honey and one tablespoon olive oil in a measuring jug and set aside for ten minutes.
2. In a large bowl combine flour and salt. Add wet ingredients and knead 5-10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth.
3. Take the dough out of your bowl and lightly grease the bowl. Place dough back in the bowl and cover. Let dough rest 30 minutes.
4. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack on the highest level.
5. About ten minutes until the dough is finished rising heat your cast iron skillet on medium. If your skillet is well seasoned cook the bacon until crispy. If not well seasoned, melt about half a tablespoon of butter in the skillet and then cook the bacon.
6. Once cooked, remove the bacon and set aside.
7. Drain out about half the bacon fat from your pan.
8. Divide the risen dough in half and lay one piece in in the cast iron skillet. Using a large spoon (I used a wooden mixing spoon) spread the dough to the edges of your skillet, leaving a slightly risen edge for your crust.
9. Put the tomato sauce on the pizza, leaving a gap around the edge for your crust. I didn’t put an amount for the tomato sauce because I feel like each person likes different amounts of sauce, so I say just do what you like. I only put three or four spoonfuls on ours.
10. Next put mozzarella*, mushrooms, onion, peppers and bacon over the tomato sauce. Drizzle remaining olive oil over the pizza so the vegetables will cook nicely. Crumble the goat cheese over the top.
11. Turn your stove top to medium heat and cook on the hob for about three minutes to start crisping up the edges.
12. Bake 15 minutes.
13. Cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan and then remove onto a cutting board or plate and then cut.
*I highly recommend having some mozzarella go on the crust of your pizza. IT’S DELICIOUS!
Half Sheet Pan Method:
1. Combine yeast, water, honey and one tablespoon olive oil in a measuring jug and set aside for ten minutes.
2. In a large bowl combine flour and salt. Add wet ingredients and knead 5-10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth.
3. Take the dough out of your bowl and lightly grease the bowl. Place dough back in the bowl and cover. Let dough rest 30 minutes.
4. Preheat your oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the middle of your oven.
5. About ten minutes until the dough is finished rising heat a frying pan on medium. Melt about half a tablespoon of butter in the skillet and then cook the bacon.
6. Once cooked, remove the bacon and set aside.
7. Lightly grease a half sheet pan and sprinkle an even amount of cornmeal over the pan.
8. Spread all of your dough over the pan using your hands. Make sure the dough is an even thickness.
9. Put the tomato sauce on the pizza, leaving a gap around the edge for your crust. I didn’t put an amount for the tomato sauce because I feel like each person likes different amounts of sauce, so I say just do what you like. I used about half a standard sized tomato sauce can on ours.
10. Next put mozzarella, mushrooms, onion, peppers and bacon over the tomato sauce. Drizzle remaining olive oil over the pizza so the vegetables will cook nicely. Crumble the goat cheese over the top.
11. Bake 10-15 minutes, until the crust is looking a light golden color, the cheese is changing into a deeper color and the toppings are not looking wet.
12. Cool for 5-10 minutes in the pan and enjoy!