In the Kitchen With Ricky: Skillet pizza is worth the time and effort

There are so many ways to make, order and ultimately eat pizza, and whichever way you slice it, it’s hard to go wrong. With National Pizza Day just passing us on Feb. 9, it got me thinking about sharing a pizza recipe.

We can shred cheese, spread sauce and build a delicious pie, but the tricky part becomes the crust. This took me down a rabbit hole of exploring recipes, ones I’ve been inspired by and ones I’ve made, plus my own crust that has been reworked more times than I can remember.

A good crust comes down to time. My traditional and naturally fermented pizza crust recipe takes three days, and, let’s face it, we don’t always have that much of an advance notice for wanting to make pizza.

I also wanted to make sure I was providing a recipe that would use commercial yeast, as not everyone has or can access a starter culture. Lastly, it was important that it didn’t require too much kneading, mixing or handling.

This pizza may not be able to be made at the drop of a hat, but with a little planning, you can create something that satisfies any craving and you’ll be proud to serve. This style of pie includes flavors of nostalgic pizza parlor pan pizza.

It is a simple crust with an ease of execution and a nice depth of flavor that is crave-worthy. Be careful when adding toppings. The minimal working of the dough means it’s more delicate than that of a normal pizza. If you add too many toppings, the pizza can sink.

Stick to the measurements below, and you’ll be good. This crust recipe also makes a wonderful focaccia. Before topping it with sauce and toppings, drizzle it with olive oil and lightly dimple the crust. Give it a sprinkling of flake salt and bake it for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Skillet Pizza

For the crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

For the toppings:

⅓ cup prepared pasta or pizza sauce

6 ounces cheese (I like a blend of mozzarella, parmesan and cheddar)

¼ to ½ cup additional toppings, like cooked/cured meats or veggies

For the assembly:

¼ cup olive oil, divided

To prepare the crust, mix the warm water with the sugar and yeast and set it aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour and salt until combined.

Combine the liquid yeast mixture with the flour, stirring with a wooden spoon, just until it comes together.

Stir and mix the shaggy dough around for about one minute.

Line a pie tin or 8-inch plate with a tablespoon of olive oil and place the sticky dough ball atop it.

Lightly press out the dough with oiled fingers and cover it with plastic wrap.

Place in the fridge overnight and up to 24 hours.

To assemble the pizza: When you’re about 3 hours away from wanting to eat, remove the pan of dough from the fridge.

Line an 8-inch-by-10-inch cast iron skillet with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil.

Remove and reserve the plastic wrap from the dough.

Transfer the dough to the oiled skillet and, with oiled fingers, press the dough to the edge of the pan.

Cover the dough with the reserved plastic wrap.

Let it sit on the counter or the turned-off stove top for 2 hours.

When the dough has puffed up a bit and the bubbles are visible, you’re ready to build your pizza.

Preheat an oven to 415 degrees and have a baking rack placed in the bottom slot.

Distribute the sauce evenly and then add half the cheese, making sure to sprinkle all the way to the edge of the pie.

Evenly distribute the remaining toppings about 1 inch away from the edge of the pan.

Top with the remaining cheese. If you’re only using cheese, add it all on top in the first distribution.

To bake the pizza, place it on the lowest rack in the preheated oven.

Cook the pizza for 25-30 minutes or until browned, bubbly and the desired bake is achieved.

Remove from the oven and place the skillet on the stove with a medium flame for an additional 2 minutes to crisp up the bottom of the pan pizza.

Remove the pizza from the pan and place it on a cooking rack for 10 minutes. Cut and serve.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

Local award-winning chef and Rind and Wheat owner Ricky Webster can be reached at ricky@rindandwheat.com. Follow Webster on Instagram @rickycaker.