Oh my gosh — I’ve been dying to tell you about this pizza.
And by dying, I mean three days. In “Jessica years,” that’s an eternity.
The toppings are everything. I know I mention brussels sprouts a lot, but I genuinely love them, and yes, most of my brussels recipes include bacon. Putting brussels sprouts, bacon and plenty of cheese on a pizza was a no-brainer — and it paid off. Add a drizzle of balsamic glaze at the end if you like a touch of sweet acidity; it elevates the whole thing.
But the real star here is the crust — or more precisely, the method. A cast iron skillet transforms the crust into something close to a wood-fired texture. This technique cooks the base extremely quickly: about three minutes under high heat and the broiler. I used my go-to dough (the garlic bread pizza crust I’ve relied on for ages), which consistently gives great results. Since finding that recipe, I haven’t bothered trying other doughs.
A few months back I convinced a friend to take a trip to NYC with me. While walking the city, she told me about making skillet pizza and insisted I try the method. I finally did, and it was worth the hype. There was late-night pizza, walking miles to justify it, and the kind of food memories that stick.
This method works great for classic pizzas too, but I can’t resist experimenting. I posted a photo of this skillet pizza online and got a lot of reactions — including requests for a “normal” pizza version — so feel free to adapt toppings as you like.
I promised myself I’d make this pizza as soon as I got home — and then the holidays happened and I forgot. When I finally remembered and tried the method, my opinion changed forever. A quick note: the skillet technique is easiest with two people and works best if you have a pizza peel. I made it solo without a peel and improvised with a floured baking sheet, which was nerve-wracking but manageable. The result was absolutely worth the hassle.
I love this pizza. Big heart.
Cast Iron Skillet Brussels Sprouts Bacon Pizza
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Ingredients
Crust (this recipe makes TWO doughs for skillet pizza)
- 1 1/8 cups warm water
- 3 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Pizza (these ingredients are for ONE pizza)
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 pound brussels sprouts, stems removed and thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces provolone cheese, freshly grated
- 4 ounces fontina cheese, freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
Crust
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In a large bowl, combine warm water, yeast, honey and olive oil. Mix with a spoon and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in 2 1/2 cups flour and salt until the dough comes together but remains sticky. Form the dough into a ball and work in the remaining 1/2 cup flour on a floured surface, kneading a few minutes. Rub the bowl with oil, return the dough, cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
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Punch down the dough and place it on a floured surface. This batch should yield two crusts for a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Divide the dough in half (or thirds for smaller skillets). Place one portion on a well-floured pizza peel and roll into a round about the size of your skillet.
Make the pizza + the cast iron skillet method
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Heat a separate large skillet over medium and cook bacon until crispy. Drain bacon on paper towels, leaving 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and add sliced shallot; cook 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic, thinly sliced brussels sprouts, salt and pepper; cook 6–8 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
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Position an oven rack directly under the broiler and preheat the broiler to high. Place your cast iron skillet on the stovetop over high heat and heat for about 10 minutes until very hot (reduce slightly if it smokes excessively).
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While the skillet heats, add about 2–3 ounces of cheese to the rolled-out dough on the floured peel, top with the brussels and bacon mixture, then finish with the remaining fontina, provolone and parmesan.
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Protect the hot handle with a potholder. Carefully slide the pizza, dough side down, into the hot skillet. After about 30 seconds, turn off the burner, transfer the skillet to the oven under the broiler and broil 1 minute. Rotate the skillet 180 degrees and broil another minute. Remove at once, place on the stovetop to cool a few minutes, then use a large spatula to lift the pizza out. Enjoy!
Notes
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Who am I kidding? Drama queen for life.