HARK THE HEEERALD ANGELS SIIIIIING.
I seriously just typed Harold. Hark the Harold angels sing. Hey, Harold, don’t you have some angel harking to tend to? How are those angels, Harold? Exhausted from all that harking? Hi, my name is Harold. This is my brother Angel, and this is my other brother Angel. (name that ’80s sitcom)
I can’t believe I’m still talking about Harold and his angel harking habits when I have the world’s most insane piece of news for you. Well, besides the fact that Crosby and GABY just hooked up on Parenthood. WHAT. I might not make it through this morning if I don’t immediately watch the next episode. I truthfully.may.not.make.it.
Anywayanywayanyway, the news. I’ll give you a hint. It rhymes with – fe splastest may smehzer behzer do mook ta reetsa biz due muse la smeakring nrast liron lillet, scrascreave eet lor dot.
You know what, I’m so sorry. That was way too obvious.
But the truth remains . . .
The fastest way ever ever to cook a pizza is to use a freaking cast iron skillet, believe it or not!
Cast iron skillet, muthaz!
Would you lose your entire face if I told you this cooked in under 3 minutes? 3 minutes. Under it. Three. Uno, dos, tres.
Because it did. And I lost my entire face. Matter of fact it’s still lost. I’m like Hollow Face or whatever. Ew. At least I’m not trying to hark all of Harold’s angels though with no face I mean YOU KNOW HOW FRIGHTENED THEY WOULD BE?
The above picture is my pizza, with a lot of cheese on it. And the crazy weird shape because we were just going straight up willy nilly town on it.
And the below is Aaron’s pizza. With no cheese, crispy prosciutto and a slightly more appealing shape.
I SAID SLIGHTLY, AARON.
This post is less about the actual RECIPE, and more about technique. You can absolutely pick up a ball of dough at the store, or use your fave homemade recipe. The pizza is going to be mighty billowy and fluffy, since you’re using more dough and fitting it into a cast iron skillet. What I’d LIKE to try is using a bigger cast iron and spreading the dough out a little thinner, but I’m skeered because it all happens so fast you don’t even have time to say, “hey, babe, will you refill my wine? no, not in that glass. the glass I was using. why would I dirty up another glass? you know what, never mind.”
So basically, what we know of life now is forever altered. And there’s nothing anyone can do, even Harold and his angels, to stop it.
I’ve never been so happy.
Skillet Pizza:
(method adapted by Kitchen Konfidence):
What it took for two 8-inch pizzas:
for the dough:
(adapted from Baking Bites)
* 1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
* 1 cup water, on the warm side
* 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for your work surface
* 1 1/2 tsp salt
* 2 tsp sugar
for the toppings:
* 3/4 cup pizza sauce
* 1 cup caramelized onions (thinly slice and sauté 2 whole onions on low in a Tbs. of oil for an hour)
* 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
* 2 cups shredded mozzarella
* 3 oz thinly sliced prosciutto
* 2 cups arugula
In a small bowl, combine the yeast and warm water; stir to dissolve.
In a food processor, combine the flour, salt and sugar. Give her a good pulse to blend it all up. With the motor running, pour in the water/yeast mixture. Keep it going until a ball of dough has formed and is smooth, satiny and kind of sexy, actually.
Divide the dough into two balls and transfer to two lightly greased bowls; cover with plastic wrap and let rise about an hour. They should seriously double in size. Once they’ve risen, you’re ready. Grasshopper? No. Sorry.
Okay, turn your oven broiler on. And then take that cast iron and place it on a stove top burner, on high, for like 10 minutes. If it starts to smoke, turn down the heat a little.
Lightly flour a work surface and roll each dough ball out until roughly the size of the cast iron. Mine was a 10-inch skillet.
Spoon the pizza sauce over the dough. Give a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes. Now drizzle some caramelized onions on top. Okay now the cheese. Now, using a floured pizza peel, transfer the pizza and carefully plop it right down in the hot cast iron skillet. It might not be perfect, but just go with it. It’s already cooking at this point so you have to move fast.
Now immediately transfer the skillet to the oven. Broil for 45 seconds. Then rotate it 180 degrees and broil another minute to a minute and a half, until that cheese is bubbly and the crust starts to char slightly. Watch it! It’s fast, baby.
Take it out of the oven and marvel at this seriousness.
Now you can just top it with the fresh ingredients like torn prosciutto, arugula and parmesan shavings. That was it.
I still can’t believe it.
*other options – Aaron chose to put his prosciutto on the pizza before cooking it. It’s all up tew yew.
Imma ’bout ta hark the boo-honky out of this pizza, HAROLD.
My, my, what a fabulous idea!
I am DYING right now. You, my dear, are hilarious. And I need this pizza in my life, stat!
Funny post. You have a terrific sense of humor. This is a terrific idea. I love my cast iron skillet, so now I’m really happy for a new way to use it!
yum! your posts always crack me up!!!
I LOVE arugula on pizza. It pairs super well with salty meats, and sharp cheese.
Looks delicious!
Gimme gimme gimme!
you are hilarious, I love it.
OMG IT’S SO FLUFFY AND PUFFY!!! I want to cuddle it. That’s not weird right?
You know, I still haven’t mustered up the motivation to make pizza. But I think it’s time. Looks awesome!
Newhart!
Awwwwwwwwesome. You just made my day.
I love that the pizza dough is just PUFFING up like CRAZY! Gotta love it when yeast works it’s magic!
Umm Yes Please!
Amazing idea! love it. trying it.
I’m dying over here, you crack me up
. Can’t wait to try this, that puffy crust looks amazing!
Really, is Max asking too much to have an Asperger’s tutor that his uncle doesn’t sleep with? I thought not, but Crosby thought yes.
I need to make this NOOOOW. I have never wanted pizza so bad.
You know how to make someone hungry!
You are hilarious!
I love arugula on pizza. These look awesome!
i am seriously going to make this — might even try warming the cast iron on the top of the wood stove and finishing it off on the inside — might be a little tricky but then i can call say its cast iron, wood fired, homemade apizza!
My husband would go nuts if I made this for him!!
Dammit… I’ve been trying to avoid thinking about pizza and here you go and torture me right before dinner time. Ugh. I need this soon.
Oh yes yes YES! That is a beautiful pizza right thur.
Um, this is BRILLIANT, Deb. I’ve made pizza in a cast iron skillet before, but never so fast! Trying this asap.
Deb? Who’s Deb? Wait where’s the camera?
I am all over that puffy dough!
o.O Is this real? Skillet pizza? I so need a skillet right now.
Oh heavens, why do I get on your site at night? Now I need something to eat again.
I’ve tried bubble pizza but never skillet pizza, yum!
this makes me SO excited.
uh….NOM!
sounds like a quick and dirty way to achieve some great authentic pizza crust charrings.
thanks for the tip, great blog, I need to stop by more often!
hey….did you send that harking my way? I definitely hear harking.
Holy cannoli! This is stunning! I can only imagine how crispy, crunchy that gorgeous crust is. Love!
I asked for a cast iron skillet for Christmas (and people thought I was crazy) so if I get it this is definitely on the list of things to make with it!
I am soo all about the char on this crust!!
Made this tonight for ‘make your own pizza night’ with my 5 kiddos. It was amazing!! The crust was fabulous, great flavor, with a bite, yet still soft and fluffy! We let the kids put on they own toppings and it was quick! I will be getting a 2nd skillet just for pizza night!
Thank you!
Mind blown. For reals pizza in a skillet? You rock my world.
Holy crap I am absolutely STUNNED…by Harold and his angels singing. Clearly. Oh, the pizza is pretty spectacularly amazeballs too.
Just made this. Unfortunately mine took much much much longer than 3 minutes to cook. I think I can chalk it up to a really crappy oven. Tasted good in the end, thats what matters right?
I made this for dinner tonight and it was mostly successful. My cheese browned really fast, before the top crust had a chance to brown. But it was still good! I will be attempting this again! Thanks for the recipe.
this is the new pizza at our house. we dont even bother making it any other way, cuz this is so easy, quick, and delicious. love your humor, and pictures, and easy instructions!
It is perfect when your bottom element goes out when your are making pizza for guests!
Tried this tonight – it was delicious! Mine didn’t puff up quite as nicely as yours but I loved the crunch the crust got! Thanks for the recipe