A live microphone, a little Texas Music ready to play, and maybe a plate of Tex-Mex is all you need to put a smile on Kelley’s face. Kelley is West Texas through and through. Born and raised right here in the Basin, she visited a radio station when she was just 8 years old and fell in love hook, line, and sinker. It’s a love that is still apparent when you tune into The Lunch Bunch at noon every workday and The Outlaw Country Show every Saturday night. She also knows she will get yelled at if she doesn’t mention how much she loves her kids and entire West Texas family.
Kelley’s Super Secret Cast Iron Deep Dish Pizza
Premade pizza dough
bench flour for rolling out dough
1 Tbsp canola oil for skillet
Pepperoni or deli meats of your choice
Red, yellow, orange or green bell peppers
fresh tomatoes – some diced, some sliced
(optional: black olives, sauteed mushrooms, whatever you like on pizza)
dried or fresh seasonings of your choice
basil
oregano
italian seasoning
garlic powder
Marinara or store bought sauce
2 -3 cups
lots of shredded or chopped mozzarella cheese
about 3 cups
garlic butter sauce
The crust –
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. For “stuffed crust” cut mozzarella cheese into little logs, or cut cheese sticks into shorter lengths. Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a circle just bigger than your cast iron pan. (recommend a 12” pan for 4 people) then sprinkle the rested dough with more flour. Don’t forget to flour your rolling pin also, so it won’t stick. Prepare your cast iron skillet by adding a tablespoon or so of canola oil to the bottom. Transfer the dough to the pan. Let it drape loosely. Gently press the dough all the way into the pan. Add the logs of cheese to the edges of the crust.Then roll the edges of the crust around the cheese.
Filling –
Cover the whole bottom with pepperoni. Feel free to use turkey pepperoni, or your choice of deli meats (ham, turkey, salami, etc.). Then add chopped veggies, including chopped tomato. Add a layer of cheese (about 1 1/2 cup). Liberally season with dried or fresh basil and garlic powder (to taste). Carefully add sauce. Top with more cheese (about 1 1/2 cup). Add thin slices of tomato, and then top that with some freshly ground Italian seasoning and fresh oregano leaves.
Bake –
For a crispy crust, cook it on the stove top for a few minutes on high/medium-high so that oil in the bottom can get super hot and start cooking the bottom of the crust. Then put it into the preheated oven. Bake for about 10 minutes on 350 degrees, then kick the temperature up to 450 degrees for an additional 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and brush the crust with some melted garlic butter. Allow to rest & cool a bit before slicing.