There is always a day in late March or early April that marks the real turning point between winter and spring. If it happens to fall on a weekend, everything feels amplified: coats get left at the door, the sky clears, and the sun feels strong enough to push back the last of the clouds. Parks fill with people soaking up sunlight, picnic blankets reappear, and barbecues are polished ready for the season. For a moment everything seems brighter and easier.
Growing up on a Greek island, those long, sunlit days were the norm. Summers were spent outdoors — swimming every day, dining on the beach or on a boat, and enjoying evenings under the stars. Our modest summer home on Skiathos had a sea view and a traditional wood-burning stove where slow-cooked dishes were prepared and fish was grilled on a hand-built barbecue. Although modern comforts have improved the house since then, the tradition of cooking outdoors and eating al fresco remains a cherished habit.
Back in London our garden was always a bit neglected and not suited for outdoor meals. Now that the kitchen has been remodelled and the folding doors give a full view of the garden, I’m excited about redesigning the space and finally creating an outdoor corner for herbs or a barbecue. Until then we’ll content ourselves with opening the doors to let in some fresh air — and with skillet pizzas, which are ideal for bringing a taste of summer indoors.
Skillet pizza is exactly what it sounds like: individual pizzas cooked in a hot skillet. The method is brilliant for anyone who dislikes the awkward transfer of a raw pizza onto a hot stone. The dough is partly cooked on the stovetop so it crisps up and then finishes in the oven. The result is a reliably crisp base with no soggy middles, and because you make smaller, individual pizzas you can vary the toppings so everyone gets their favourite or you can share several styles at once.
The three variations here — Puttanesca, blue cheese & pancetta, and goat’s cheese & salmon — are personal favourites. They work just as well on larger pizzas, but the skillet technique elevates the texture and speed of cooking. Make the dough by hand, with a stand mixer, or in a bread machine, then divide into small balls, roll each out to fit your skillet and cook briefly on the stove until the centre bubbles and the edges crisp. Add toppings and transfer to a very hot oven to finish. It’s simple, fast, and endlessly adaptable.
Three Delicious Ways with Skillet Pizza
Ingredients
- For the pizza dough:
- 500 g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 360 ml tepid water (you may need less)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp honey or sugar
- 2 tsp dried yeast
- ½ tsp salt
- Cornmeal or semolina to dust the skillet
- For the Puttanesca (single serving):
- 2–3 tbsp passata or tomato sauce
- 2–4 anchovy fillets (omit for vegetarian)
- 4–5 mini mozzarella balls, dried with a kitchen towel
- Cherry tomatoes or a handful of sliced cherry tomatoes
- A handful of pitted green and black olives, sliced
- Sprinkling of dried oregano
- Fresh basil leaves, olive oil to drizzle, salt and freshly ground pepper
- For the blue cheese & pancetta (single serving):
- 3 tbsp caramelised onion chutney
- 4–5 tbsp crumbled blue cheese (such as Gorgonzola)
- 3–4 strips pancetta
- Handful of pine nuts
- Fresh rocket (arugula) to serve, optional
- For the goat’s cheese & salmon (single serving):
- 4–5 tbsp crumbled goat’s cheese (or a mix of feta and goat’s cheese)
- 4–5 strips smoked salmon (to taste)
- 2 tsp finely chopped red onion
- Handful of mini capers
- Finely chopped fresh chives, olive oil to drizzle, salt and pepper
Instructions
- Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl.
- In a separate jug, dissolve the yeast in the tepid water, then stir in the honey (or sugar) and olive oil.
- Gradually add the wet ingredients to the flour, mixing with a wooden spoon. The exact water amount can vary; aim for a fairly tight dough that is not too wet.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball.
- Place the dough in an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover and leave to rise for 1–1½ hours, or until doubled in size.
- When ready to cook, prepare all toppings beside the stove. Divide the dough into six small pieces and roll one out to about 20 cm (8 inches), roughly the size of your skillet. Keep unused dough covered.
- Preheat your oven as hot as it will go and place a rack in the middle position.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Dust with semolina or cornmeal, then place the rolled dough on the hot skillet, stretching gently to fill the pan. Be careful — the pan and handle will be hot.
- Drizzle a little olive oil over the dough. When the centre begins to bubble and the edges crisp, add your chosen toppings and transfer the skillet to the hot oven.
- For the Puttanesca: Spread passata over the base, season with salt, pepper and oregano, then add anchovies, mozzarella, olives and tomatoes. Drizzle with olive oil and bake 8–12 minutes until the cheese melts. Finish with fresh basil.
- For the blue cheese & pancetta: Spread onion chutney over the base, crumble over blue cheese and scatter pancetta. Bake 8–12 minutes until the cheese melts and the pancetta crisps. Sprinkle with pine nuts and top with rocket just before serving, if desired.
- For the goat’s cheese & salmon: Drizzle a little olive oil on the base, add goat’s cheese and arrange salmon strips on top. Scatter red onion and capers, drizzle with olive oil, season and bake 8–12 minutes until warmed through and cheese has softened. Finish with chopped chives.
Notes
- Stand mixer method: Add dry ingredients, then add wet ingredients and knead with a dough hook for 5–7 minutes. Continue from dividing the dough into portions.
- Bread machine method: Check your machine can handle the quantity. Add water, oil, sugar/honey, flour, salt, then yeast. Use the dough setting, then proceed with shaping and cooking.
- Skillet size: Use a skillet that fits your rolled dough. Individual skillet pizzas cook quickly and let you offer multiple topping combinations in one meal.
