Upside-Down Cast Iron Mini Pizzas
A genius kitchen hack! Use the bottom of an upside-down, preheated cast iron skillet as a makeshift pizza stone for perfectly crispy, personal-sized Margherita pizzas.
Equipment
- 2 Cast Iron Skillets (10-inch or 12-inch)
- Pizza peel or flat cutting board
- Metal spatula
Ingredients
- 1 lb pizza dough store-bought or homemade, divided in half
- 1/2 cup pizza sauce or marinara
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 handful fresh basil leaves roughly torn
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Cornmeal for dusting the peel
Instructions
- Place two cast iron skillets completely upside down on the middle racks of your oven. Preheat the oven to its highest setting (500°F - 550°F). Let the skillets preheat for 45 to 60 minutes.
- Let the divided pizza dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes to relax the gluten.
- On a lightly floured surface, gently stretch or roll each dough portion into an 8 to 10-inch circle.
- Dust a pizza peel generously with cornmeal. Place one stretched dough circle onto the peel.
- Brush the crust edges with a little olive oil. Spread half the pizza sauce over the dough, and top with half the mozzarella and half the cherry tomatoes.
- Open the oven and carefully slide the topped pizza directly onto the flat, hot bottom of the upside-down skillet. Repeat with the second pizza on the other skillet.
- Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is golden and puffed.
- Remove the pizzas carefully using a spatula or peel. Immediately top with the fresh basil leaves. Slice and serve hot!
Notes
Pan Prep: Ensure the bottoms of your skillets are clean and free of loose debris before preheating, as your food will touch them directly. Sliding Tip: Give the pizza peel a gentle horizontal shake before transferring to the oven to ensure the dough isn't sticking. If it is, lift the edge and toss a little more cornmeal underneath.
