Cast-iron Skillet Breakfast Pizza

Some of my most vivid memories from childhood revolve around that feeling of a slightly burnt marshmallow exterior in my mouth and the smell of campfire in my hair as I dozed off wrapped in my sleeping bag. After a big eggs-and-bacon breakfast, a quick dip in the lake would wash away the last night’s smoke, but dinnertime brought it right back. What delight! And now I have the pleasure of watching my own children enjoy this magic, while I enjoy the nostalgia.

Inspired by those family camping rituals, I have created a recipe I think will become a new tradition for our kiddos. Cast-iron skillet pizza is surprisingly easy to execute over the fire, but it also works on a portable burner or even on the grill.

By Ashley Swartzendruber / Photography By Ashley Swartzendruber | October 18, 2021

Ingredients

3 eggs, room temperature
1¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
4 strips bacon, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 cup (about 2.5 ounces) shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
Olive oil
4 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded
Salt and ground black pepper
Arugula, for garnish

Instructions

Serves 2

Bring eggs to room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and sea salt. Add the yogurt and gently mix with a spoon until the dough starts to come together. Using your hands, knead the dough for 5 to 8 minutes, adding flour as you go to keep it from sticking. The dough should be bouncy and smooth. Set it aside.

Place a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over the outside edge of a fire, avoiding the tall flames. Once the pan is hot, add the bacon and cook until it is slightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently so the garlic doesn’t burn. Remove the pan from the fire. Remove the bacon and mushroom mixture with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the grease in the pan.

With oiled hands, carefully place the dough in the hot pan and press it out to the edges, working your way around in a circle until the dough fills the entire pan. Sprinkle cheese over the dough and add the bacon and mushroom mixture. Carefully crack eggs on top of the pizza. Season with salt and pepper, cover the pan with a lid or foil and return it to the edge of the fire. Watch the fire closely to make sure it doesn’t get too hot under your pan.

Cook until the bottom of the crust is slightly browned and the egg whites are cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Turn the pan 180 degrees halfway through for even cooking. Remove the pan from the fire, then remove the pizza from the skillet and let it cool for a few minutes. Top with arugula and serve.

Edible Michiana original recipe