Materials Needed

Cast-iron skillet
Dough
Sauce
Cheese
Toppings
Oven

The dough is the trickiest part. I cheated and used a pre-made dough from Trader Joe's. But if you're aiming high and looking for the best bubbly, yeasty, crispy pizza crust that you can make at home follow this recipe from Serious Eats.

Step 1: Preheat, Prep, and Chop

Preheat your oven to 450(f) or as hot as it will go. Chop your toppings. Nothing beats a good combination pizza in my book (or “supreme” depending on your geography.) I chopped up some onion, mushrooms, prosciutto, and basil. Grate your cheese. I used a low-moisture mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella has a lot of moisture content that could affect the texture of the dough as it cooks. Canned pizza sauce does the job. But if you’re making pizza for that special someone and want to go deluxe: this zesty, homemade no-cook sauce recipe from Kitchn is a great option.

Step 2: Oil the Pan, Dough In. Add Toppings.

I used a little bit of light olive oil in my pan before adding the dough. The oil ensures the dough doesn’t stick, and it results in a crispy, toasted-brown crust. Stretch the dough out to cover the bottom of the pan. Give it a minute or two to rest and adapt to its new surroundings. It should be roughly ¼ inch thick, give or take.

After the dough has rested spread out your sauce in a thin layer, add your cheese, and evenly distribute your toppings.

Step 3: Cook

For best results, blast it at 450(f) for 5-10 minutes. Don’t leave the kitchen. Watch it closely because it will burn easily. This pizza cooks fast, especially if your dough is on the thinner side.