The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Iron skillet pizza

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

Iron skillet pizza

My grandmother's iron skillets make the best pizza. They are from the 1800's. They are 12" across. We have family getting in later tonight so I made these up so they will have something yum when they get here. Crust is somewhat of a guess and by golly as my Mom used to say. I had a couple levains left in containers and decided to clear them out. They were full of bubbles...one durum and one ww. I added them , about 1/2 c to a regular yeast dough formula. Didn't knead at all just left it on the counter for a few hours while I went to play with my 6 yr old grandson. When I came back I used olive oil and stretched and folded in the bowl a bit. Left it alone while my husband finished baking Biscotti Regina. There is 15 oz dough in each skillet. Let it rise in the well oiled skillets while I cooked onions and peppers and mushrooms. Preheated the oven to 425. Put slices of provolone on the bottom added the saute veg then fresh mozz and crumbled feta  and placed them in the oven for 20 min. Turned it up to 450 and topped each pizza with scant drizzles of spiced up tomato sauce and parmesan. Let it finish for about 10 min. Perfect !! The best pizza to date. The crust is so light and full of flavor and the bottom is nice and crunch from the hot oil and skillet. Of course can't be duplicated as I have no idea what the starters were statistically...but that is all the fun...adventure in the kitchen on a rainy night in Virginia.

sorry pics are mixed up somewhat...still trying to get the hang of the new way of uploading. Suffice to say it is all delicious.  

Comments

Danni3ll3's picture
Danni3ll3

Those are just YUMMY! The shot of the crust up close is to die for. I hope you will be able to replicate it. Well done!

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

like you and as diligent I would be able to replicate. I did make some notes , thought about you ? and so I actually think I have a pretty good chance of doing it again! Thank you ! You could have some if you were closer. 

PalwithnoovenP's picture
PalwithnoovenP

The toppings you wrote in  addition to the delicious-looking pictures added to the feeling. These thick crust pizze are my first love. You have me craving for some!

The Biscotti Regina also looks wonderful. Did you make them with lard?

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

we grew up in New Orleans and ate these cookies at Broccato bakery for years. Later we met a relative  of that family and she told us one detail that made the cookies perfect. It is the ammonium carbonate. This makes the cookies really crunchy. Our son is a chef and he makes the lard for us. Broccato doesn’t use lard anymore and their cookies aren’t very good now. I am lucky my husband worked so hard and long to perfect the recipe. If you get an oven and would like the recipe I would be glad to share! Thanks for the kind words! The pizza really is delicious. The iron makes the bottom crust amazingly caramelized with the hot oil. 

PalwithnoovenP's picture
PalwithnoovenP

You have access to good lard. I can't find any so I'm stuck to using vegetable oil. I know it will make a world of difference to the traditional pastries I like to make. :)

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

I am very lucky. He is a butcher and chef and has a slaughterhouse at his disposal. Can make as much lard as I need. I was taught by my Mom to make pie crust with it. Tastes amazing! Wish you could try it. I am sure your butchers have pigs available and over very low heat you can make your own lard. There are many videos. Perhaps give it a try. 

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

Nothing like using the old to make the new.  Personal family history and experiences can make all the difference in cooking and baking.  I like the process too.  Should keep the crust nice and crispy with all the wet stuff coming later and on top.  Nice!  Very well done and 

Happy Baking Trail.

 

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

slices. Keeps the crust from getting soft on bottom. Plus I sauté the vegs to dry out the juice a bit. And very little sauce. I love your pizzas!! Your smoked meats always look wonderful. You have a real art going at your house! Thank you dab! 

leslieruf's picture
leslieruf

shame it is now too late in the day here (and its is still about 27°c, phew !) to start making pizza. love the vege mix etc... yum yum!

Leslie

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

you are “ down under” aren’t you Leslie? My son spent 10 days in Australia before Christmas. Flew in to Melbourne and rented a motorcycle. Visited friends and rode the ocean road. Loved every minute. He is moving to New Zealand next October. I can hardly wait to visit. It’s never too hot for pizza??. Thank you! 

leslieruf's picture
leslieruf

and we are having a warm early summer - thankfully not as hot as it has been in Aussie. I haven’t done that ocean road, it is still on the to do list....

and yes there will be pizza on the menu at some point this week. 

Leslie

ps

a visit perhaps depending on where you would be and time?

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

oh that would be amazing! I will definitely keep you posted as to trip plans. We would bring our bicycles and stay an extended time. Where in Australia are you? My daughter in law has an aunt and uncle in Mittagong nearer Sydney so this is going to take massive planning. Will post to this board to get contacts in NSW and NZ

leslieruf's picture
leslieruf

so you might end up with a few contacts, lol... thanks

Leslie

Isand66's picture
Isand66

I have never used a cast iron pan for pizza but must try soon.  Too cold to use my kettle grill now :).   How exciting about your son moving to NZ.  One of my vendors who is a friend as well lived there for a several years and his brother still lives there.  What's he going to be doing in NZ?

trailrunner's picture
trailrunner

if you put a generous amount of EVOO in the skillet it “ fries” the crust like a Detroit deep pizza that uses the black steel pan. I love the crisp but not too thick bottom. Put a layer of cheese first then toppings that are precooked and not too wet then more cheese. After about 20 -25 min drizzle sauce and Parma over top and finish baking . Pure yum!

my son is a  Hospital lab scientist and has done so many different labs and tests in hospitals  that he is always being sought out for positions. He is currently in Hawaii at a small hospital. He takes temp jobs all over. He loves to SCUBA and hike etc. NZ has a reciprocal arrangement with licensing  in the US so he had no problem getting his papers. He is staying a full year in Hawaii as he loves the water and has made a bunch of friends. He spent 10 days in Australia before Christmas and really loved it there. He was in Thailand the Dec of 2016 and wants to go there more often and can do that more easily from NZ. We will definitely be going to visit! 

Post your pizza soon and thank you!