2.13.2011

cast iron pizza with spinach mushrooms and chicken sausage

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Pizza can be just as romantic as chocolate and roses....right?!

I was flipping through an issue of Vegetarian Times from February 2009 and I spotted a recipe for deep dish pizza cooked in a cast iron skillet. Well, I love cooking in my cast iron skillet and I never can resist a good pizza so I couldn't wait to give it a go.
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The original recipe called for a yummy mix of feta, kale, Neufchatel cheese, fennel, garlic, fresh oregano and tomato. I would have loved every bite of the original pizza but I knew my family might be a little less enthusiastic so I went a little more mainstream with the ingredient list. My deep dish pizza was topped with a tomato basil sauce, an Italian cheese blend, basil oregano, spinach, mushrooms and mild Italian chicken sausage.

I've been trying to cut my meat intake and up my intake of veggies and whole grains. It's tough when I have a meat lovin' husband in the house. ;) With all of the wonderful vegetarian choices out there these days, the chicken sausage could be easily replaced with a meat free sausage. I bet no one would even notice the difference if the veggie sausage was tucked inside a deep dish pizza. Shhhh. I won't tell!

Cast Iron Deep Dish Pizza
by theUngourmet

Print recipe

1 18 oz package of fresh pizza dough (Winco has a fabulous dough made fresh in their bakery)
3 tbsp tomato basil pasta sauce
1/4 lb Italian chicken sausage, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup chopped spinach
1/2 cup sliced crimini mushrooms
3/4 cup shredded Italian cheese blend (Trader Joe's has a great one!)
Fresh or dried basil and oregano, season to taste
kosher salt

Preheat oven to 475. Oil bottom and sides of a 12" cast iron skillet with olive oil. With floured hands pat and stretch dough over bottom and half way up sides of skillet. Let dough rest for 5 minutes. Evenly spread sauce over dough. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the cheese. Evenly spread the sausage, spinach and mushrooms over the cheese. Top with remaining cheese. Season with basil, oregano and kosher salt.

Place on lowest rack and bake for 15 minutes or until crust is browned and crisp. Let stand for a few minutes before slicing.

Happy Valentine's Day!





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28 comments:

Ana Rita Marreiros said...

Great pizza recipe!!
I do think that any kind of food can be turn into a romantic meal.You must have just a little imagination and it's easy.

Kiss
Rita

Taylor said...

I love this idea for the cast iron skillet!! It looks delicious!

Tanna said...

PERFECT!!! Can't wait to try this one!

Schnitzel and the Trout said...

Looks perfect. Love the cast iron idea.

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

U have been browsing some Chicago deep dish pizzas cooked in cast iron lately. I'll bet it does wonders for the crust.

Cathy said...

It never occurred to me to make a pizza in my cast iron skillet. Great idea, Kim. And I like Winco's pizza dough too. What could be easier!

Claudia said...

Loving this. Especially all the vegetables. Happy Valentine's Day.

Jeannie said...

I don't own a cast iron skillet so I could only drool here! Happy Valentine's Day!

Debbie said...

I love pizza and I adore cooking in my cast iron!
I hope you are having a great Valentine's Day!

Mary Bergfeld said...

This really look awesome. I really have to give this recipe a try. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary

D said...

Kim, this looks delicious and in a cast iron skillet, I can only imagine a wonderful crustiness to it. Will have to give it a go.
Happy Valentine's Day.

Joanne said...

I have always wanted to try my hand at a homemade deep dish pizza and this sounds fantastic!

teresa said...

this is awesome. we have a cast iron skillet, but i never really know what to do with it. this looks SO good!

Delicious Dishings said...

Ooh... I have never made deep dish pizza at home. I like how this can be made right in a cast iron skillet. Sounds romantic to me!

nanny said...

Is there anything better than a pizza.....and cooked at home in an iron skillet...wow. It looks delicious!

tasteofbeirut said...

This looks like such a delightful pizza! Perfect for an evening with a close friend or sweetheart with a great bottle of vino!

Sue said...

pizza is sooooooooo romantic, and that looks amazingQ!

Jackie at Phamfatale.com said...

Looks gorgeous, just like the ones served in restaurants. I'm always too intimidated using cast iron. You make it sounds like it's very easy. I have to try!

Juliana said...

Kim, your cast iron pizza looks delicious, love it loaded of toppings...hope you had a great V Day!

Kim said...

Kim - This looks so wonderful! I want to steal a slice right from the screen :) The crust on your pizza is at thing of beauty.

Hope you enjoyed your Valentine's day.

Anonymous said...

I love the idea of a cast iron pizza! So yummy with mushrooms an chicken sausage!

UrMomCooks said...

Be still my heart... I must have this!!! What an awesome way to cook the crust - it looks and sounds delicious!!!

Catherine said...

This looks absolutely beautiful, Kim. Your post has me craving pizza!

Mother Rimmy said...

We're having a pizza party next Friday. I'm adding this to my list. Fun!

Kristi

Anonymous said...

A fantastic & appetizing pizza!! Oooh,..yes!


MMMMMM,...georgous too!

Magic of Spice said...

That looks fantastic! I have never prepared a pizza this way but I want to try it :)

Heather S-G said...

That is a GORGEOUS pizza! I'm feeling a craving coming on... ;)

Barbara Bakes said...

Thanks for the tip about pizza dough at Winco. I'll check it out. The pizza looks fabulous!

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