Sausage and Leek Cast-Iron Pizza

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Living in Boston during this COVID-19 pandemic is certainly an experience I never imagined. Being in the pharmaceutical industry full-time, I constantly think about how to help people. What can I individually contribute to help? If you have been following my journey Instagram, I am often posting what I am cooking or where I am eating for takeout during this quarantine life. So I hope I can help you by sharing these meals I am cooking.

I have been craving comfort food more often during this time of social isolation, and the other day, I was craving pizza. If you know me, I don’t often go out of my way for pizza, and I really don’t make it at home either, mostly because I worry that it would come out soggy - and I don’t like soggy textures. Then I started seeing people on social media making cast-iron pizza, so I decided I’d give it a go. Pan pizzas were always my favorite types of crusts anyway.

Turns out, this cast-iron pizza was incredibly easy to make, and comes out super crispy crispy! I purchased the dough pre-made and frozen at the grocery store. I let it defrost for a few hours after coming back, and then I was ready to make this pizza!

I used sausage and leeks for toppings, but quite honestly, you could use whatever toppings you want.

Sausage and Leek Cast Iron Pizza

Sausage and Leek Cast-Iron Pizza

Time: 30 minutes | Yield: 2-3 servings

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz. store bought pizza dough, room temperature

  • Vegetable oil or oil of preference
    (I used vegetable oil because it has a low smoke point, and I’ve been setting off my smoke detector with my cast iron + olive oil and I wanted to avoid that)

  • Italian Sausage, no casing

  • Kosher salt

  • 1/3 cup tomato sauce

  • 1/2 cup freshly grated mozzarella

  • 1/2 leek, chopped

Preparation:

  1. Preheat oven at 550°F on bake, or at highest temperature the oven allows - do not set to broil

  2. Place cast-iron pan in oven to warm pan

  3. In a separate small pan, heat 1 tbsp oil. Sauté chopped leeks for five minutes over medium heat, or until a vibrant green. Set aside

  4. In small pan, heat 1 tsp oil over medium. Cook sausage, breaking it up into chunks and smaller pieces. Set aside, and remove pan from heat

  5. Remove cast-iron pan from oven (carefully and safely - this will be hot hot), place pan on medium heat and add oil until base is completely covered. I used a brush to help disperse the oil on the hot pan

  6. Take pizza dough and round out as much as possible. I did this by pushing the dough outwards while rotating in the air, using both gravity as well as maneuvering hands to spread dough

  7. Carefully lay dough onto skillet, use a wooden spoon to help extend the dough as much as possible towards the pan’s edges. Season with salt

  8. Top with tomato sauce, shredded mozzarella, sausage and leek. With wooden spoon, lift dough lightly to check if it is a golden brown with slight crisp. If not, set on medium-low heat until golden brown

  9. Transfer cast-iron into oven for 10-14 minutes, until the edges are browned and the cheese is browned and bubbling

  10. Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes, and enjoy!