For the Dough
306g 50/50 blend of 00 Flour and good quality All-purpose flour
8g fine sea salt
4g fresh yeast, or 2g active dry yeast
4g good olive oil
202g lukewarm water
Directions
In a bowl, thoroughly combine flour and salt, and make a well in the center
In a separate bowl, combine water, yeast, and olive oil
Pour wet mixture into dry mixture, and begin mixing the two with your hands. This will be more like "mixing" than "kneading."
After about 3 minutes, when wet and dry are well combined, set the mixture aside and let it rest, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. This gives the flour time to absorb the moisture.
Flour your hands, and gently but firmly knead the mixture for about 3 minutes. Reflour hands as necessary. The dough will be sticky at first, but should come together in a smooth mass.
Divide the dough into 2 equal parts, shape into balls, and wrap them in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 24, and up to 48 hours.
At least 4-5 hours before making pizza, take the balls out of the fridge. Pour about 1 tbsp of olive oil into a bowl, and roll one of the balls to coat in oil. Cover the bowl tightly, and place somewhere warm. Repeat with the other ball.
Cooking
Heat a 12" cast iron skillet on HIGH on the stove top. Pre-heat broiler.
Have all pizza ingredients prepared and ready: sauce, spices, cheese, etc. Once the cooking process starts it moves FAST.
Gently shape ball of dough (do not roll) into a circle using a gentle stretch method.
When skillet is hot and smoking, place pizza dough into cast iron pan and immediately add sauce and toppings. After about 2 minutes the bottom of the crust should start forming brown spots. Take pizza and place under broiler for 1-3 minutes depending on broiler strength. Rotate halfway through.
Why a cast iron pan and not a pizza stone?
Professional pizza ovens typically get up over 900 degrees. A conventional home oven will only get up to about 550 degrees, and will have trouble staying there. The stove top, however, can get up over 700 degrees. By heating the cast iron pan on the stove until it is blistering hot, you can closer approximate the temperature of a professional oven. You finish off close under the broiler to even out the cooking.
Plus, my wife hates single use cooking items, like pizza stones. So I'm not allowed to own one . . .