Cast Iron Skillet Sausage and Fennel Pizza

Cast Iron Skillet Sausage and Fennel Pizza

We haven't found our go to pizza place here in Colorado 

yet, so I continue to make it at home. This was super 

easy and the cast iron skillet makes the crust so deliciously crispy. 

This recipe is from a magazine I get but I ripped it out of of the magazine and don't remember which one it is from. You can definitely make this pizza with whatever toppings you like. 

Ingredients

Store bought pizza dough

3 Tbsp olive oil

8 oz mild Italian sausage

1/2 cup jarred marinara

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan 

1/2 small fennel bulb thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic

Fresh basil-chopped

Red pepper flakes

Sea salt

Directions

Place a rack closer to the top of your oven and preheat to 475 degrees. Place cast iron skillet in the oven to heat up while you brown the sausage. In another skillet add the Italian sausage and 1 tbsp olive oil breaking up while cooking and cook until browned and cooked through. While the meat cooks roll the pizza dough out to 10 inch round. Remove the skillet from the oven and place the pizza dough in the skillet, stretching to the edges. Season with salt. Top with the marinara first, spreading evenly all over the dough. Top with mozzarella, Parmesan, fennel, garlic and cooked sausage. If you have more marinara in your jar add small dollops to the top. Check the bottom of the crust to see if it is starting to be golden brown and crispy. If not, set over medium low heat and cook until golden brown, a few minutes. Careful not to burn.  Drizzle with remaining olive oil including around the edges of the pizza. Transfer skillet to the oven on the top rack and bake about 10-14 minutes until it is golden brown and dough is cooked through. Let rest for 5 minutes. Top with fresh basil, red pepper flakes and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Cut and serve.