US: Making pizza at home is gratifying, and it almost always tastes better than what you can get from delivery. But achieving a pizza with a crisp crust in the home oven can also be a real challenge.
Skillet Pizza
Servings: 8 (Makes two 11-inch pizzas)
Start to finish: 2 3/4 to 3 1/4 hours (Rising time: 1 1/2 to 2 hours)
Dough:
2 cups (11 ounces) plus 2 tablespoons bread flour
1 1/8 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup (6 ounces) ice water
Sauce and Toppings:
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained with juice reserved
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick and patted dry with paper towels
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Step 1
For the dough: Pulse flour, yeast, and salt in food processor until combined, about 5 pulses. With processor running, add oil, then water, and process until rough ball forms, 30 to 40 seconds. Let dough rest for 2 minutes, then process for 30 seconds longer.
Step 2
Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Place dough seam side down in lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Step 3
For the sauce and toppings: Process tomatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, vinegar, oregano, salt, and pepper in clean, dry work bowl until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to 2-cup liquid measuring cup and add reserved tomato juice until sauce measures 2 cups. Reserve 1 cup sauce; set aside remaining sauce for another use.
Step 4
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 500 F. Grease 12-inch oven-safe skillet with 2 tablespoons oil.
Step 5
Transfer dough to lightly floured counter, divide in half, and cover loosely with greased plastic. Press and roll 1 piece of dough (keep remaining piece covered) into 11-inch round of even thickness.
Step 6
Transfer dough to prepared skillet and reshape as needed. Spread 1/2 cup sauce over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Top with half of mozzarella.
Step 7
Set skillet over high heat and cook until outside edge of dough is set, pizza is lightly puffed, and bottom of crust looks spotty brown when gently lifted with spatula, about 3 minutes.
Step 8
Transfer skillet to oven and bake pizza until edges are brown and cheese is melted and spotty brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Using potholders remove skillet from oven and slide pizza onto wire rack; let cool slightly. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon basil, cut into wedges, and serve. Be careful of hot skillet, repeat with remaining oil, dough, 1/2 cup sauce, remaining mozzarella, and basil.
