For my 16th Birthday, I knew I wouldn’t get a car. So, I set my sights on a more realistic gift: a cast iron pan.

This is my absolute favorite recipe to make in my beloved pan. The cast iron’s high heat capacity makes a crunchy bottom crust thanks to the excess olive oil “frying” the bottom of the loaf. Additionally, the whole recipe comes together in barely over two hours, with hardly any of that being labor time. Not bad for a yeasted bread.

If you’re feeling creative, try different herbs and toppings. Parmesan cheese is a great one.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Dough:

1 cup warm water, divided

1 tablespoon sugar

2 ¼ teaspoons dry active yeast (equivalent of 1 package)

1/3 cup olive oil

2 ¼ cups flour

½ teaspoon fine grained sea salt or table salt

Topping:

½ teaspoon coarse sea salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

Chopped rosemary, about 1 tablespoon

2 cloves of garlic, sliced

Instructions

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, dissolve sugar in ½ cup warm water. Add yeast and let proof for about 5 minutes.

Step 2: Add 1/2 cup water and 1/3 cup olive oil. Whisk together. Add flour and salt gradually, mixing with a wooden spoon. When the dough becomes thick enough, begin mixing with your hands to help it come together. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured countertop and knead for about 5 minutes, or until tacky but smooth. Shape into a ball.

Step 3: Grease the same mixing bowl with some olive oil. Turn the dough ball a few times in bottom “pool” of olive oil that is created. Cover bowl and dough with a damp towel and let rise for 45 minutes to an hour in a warm place.

Step 4: After rising, turn the dough into a cast iron skillet greased with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Lightly press to cover the bottom of the pan with dough. Score the dough with a knife in a checkerboard pattern. Add an additional tablespoon of olive oil on top, and spread it with a brush or clean fingers. Then, sprinkle on the coarse sea salt, rosemary, and garlic. 

Step 5: Cover again with a damp towel and let rise for an additional hour.

Step 6: In an oven preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown on top.

Step 7: Let cool for at least 10 minutes, and CAREFULLY remove the bread from the pan using a spatula. The cast iron cools slowly, so it will still be very hot. Transfer loaf to a wire rack. Serve warm, in wedges or slices.