Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Add flour, cornmeal, water, yeast, and sugar into a stand mixer. Knead just until combined and no dry flour is left.Next add in olive oil and knead until the oil is mixed in and then add in the salt. Add a tablespoon of softened butter at a time waiting until the previous teaspoon has been incorporated.After all of the butter is added knead until windowpane is reached. About 6-8 minutes in a Bosch or 8-10 minutes in a KitchenAid.
- Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled in size.If baking same day: Towards the end of your rise time preheat the oven to 450℉ if baking the same day.
- When done rising, divide the dough in half so you have 2 pieces. Lightly dust workspace with flour and roll each piece into a circle a little bigger than your pan. Leave about 1/2" hanging over.
- Butter your pan and place the bottom crust into the pan with the extra dough hanging over. Fill with toppings and cheese. (high fat meats such as bacon/sausage should go on top with the sauce)
- Add the top layer of crust over the cheese to completely cover the fillings. (Like you would do for a pie.)Push the top layer of dough into the bottom layer to seal the layers together on the inside and then using a rolling pin roll firmly over the edge of the pan and remove the excess dough from the edges. *You may have enough dough from the excess to make a mini pizza or just toss it out.
- Poke/cut 5-6 holes in the top layer of crust for ventilation. Add pizza sauce and sprinkle Parmesan on top.(about 1/4 inch of sauce; I use about 1 cup of sauce)
- Bake in a pre-heated oven at 450℉ for 28-35 minutes. (This will vary with different ovens) Internal temperature should be around 180℉.*optional* If you don't want your crust to get too dark you can loosely cover the pizza with aluminum foil after the 15 minute mark.
- When pizza is done you can brush the edges with butter, slice, and serve!*I like to use a spatula to transfer my pizza from the cast iron pan to a flat surface to make it easier to slice.
To Refrigerate Dough & Bake Later
- Complete steps 1-2 from above.
- When done rising, divide dough in half (for top and bottom crust), lightly coat dough with olive oil to prevent it from drying out. Then place your dough in an oiled container or bag and refrigerate up to 3 days.
- When you're ready to use it, take it out and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour before shaping and baking. Then follow the baking steps above.
Freezing Dough & Baking Later
- Complete steps 1-2 from above.
- When done rising, divide dough in half (for top and bottom crust), lightly coat dough with olive oil to prevent it from drying out.
- Wrap each portion tightly in plastic wrap or place them in freezer bags. Be sure to squeeze out as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn.
- Label the bags or wrap with the date so you can keep track of how long they’ve been frozen. Freeze the dough for up to 3 months.
- When you’re ready to use the frozen dough:Option 1 (Overnight Thawing): The best way to thaw dough is to place it in the fridge the night before you plan to use it. Let it thaw slowly overnight.Option 2 (Quick Thawing): If you’re short on time, place the dough at room temperature for 2-3 hours.Once thawed, let the dough come to room temperature (if refrigerated or frozen), and it will be ready to shape and bake!Then follow the baking steps above.