It didn't work did it? Watching others dive into that pie brought back all the memories of what pizza is all about ...
Well, fret no longer ... with a couple cooking method tips and your trusty cast iron pan ...
What? You don't have cast iron?!
Oh dear ... well first you must remedy that ... after all, this is what the top of my stove looks like every day! This doesn't include a few other amazing cast iron goodies in the cupboard! However, a good 8" skillet won't set you back that much and they will last a lifetime. Still using one of my grandma's pans almost daily ... so go get one, and then come back and let's do this!
So for those of you that do have the proper hardware, here we go! You'll find that the recipe itself is quite standard, but there are a few important things! Proper flour, good fat, cast iron, and a little thirst for excitement!
(you'll find that the recipe and instructions call for an 8" skillet, but the pictures show me working with a much smaller 5" version. I cut the recipe in half sometimes for a "personal pizza" and use a smaller skillet, so feel free to try either!)
The Hardware
- 8" Cast Iron Skillet
- 1 Tbsp Bacon Fat or Lard (I use bacon fat or lard since my daughter is also dairy free, but you can use butter - however I strongly recommend some of that left over bacon fat as it adds a great dimension to the flavor of the crust. (Yes I'm considering it hardware in this case!)
The Software
- 10 Ounces Gluten Free Flour: Red Mill's 1 to 1 is perfect for this recipe, and this does make a big difference.
- 1/2 tsp Yeast
- 1/2 tsp Honey
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 6 1/4 oz Water (100-105 Degrees)
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- Your favorite or homemade pizza sauce
- Your favorite toppings - today, we're just going to have some sliced onions, but often my toppings can get pretty intense! :)
The Program
- Heat Oven to 475 Degrees (I use 450 with convection)
- Measure out your flour - you always measure your flour by weight right? That's what I thought - good ...
- Combine all the Software, and mix with a fork until the mixture starts pulling away from the bowl. It should be slightly sticky to the touch, but should form a ball. There is no gluten to work with (obviously) so this makes the dough even easier - this won't take more than a minute!
- Once the dough is made, get your pan on the stove over medium heat, and add your fat of choice ... bacon fat? Nice choice!
- Once the fat starts to reach its smoke point (probably just a few minutes) turn off the heat, and start to work in your dough - by hand! This is where the excitement comes ... as you start to press in your dough you'll likely have to navigate some bubbly stuff ... but hey, without danger, where's the fun in that?! For legal disclosure, you should come up with some creative way to press it with a safe object so you don't get burned ... clearly I don't know what I'm talking about thinking that your hands are the best tool for the job.
- Now it's time to add your sauce (as much or little as you like), your cheese (as much or as little as you like - or like us, goat cheese, as my daughter is dairy free too)
- BAKE IT! :) ... I think 10-11 minutes is perfect ... but every oven is different, and every person is different too, but start with 10 and go from there.
- EAT IT! Even me - a pizzaholic - who unlike some of my family is NOT a gluten free eater - will actually reach for this pie above others now! That hot cast iron pan, and the bacon fat makes for a delicious and crispy outside of the crust, while leaving that hand pressed soft crust still intact. And the design of the cast pan creates no room for the dough to go, so it stays thick and soft waiting for you to dive in! Give it a shot and let me know what you think ...
