Heat the oven to 500F with the racks in the lowest and highest positions. When the oven is hot, place the cast iron pan on the lowest rack and heat for 10 minutes. (The pan will smoke, so be sure to turn on a fan before opening the oven to pull it out.)

While the cast iron pan heats, coat the pizza dough well with olive oil and press out into a disc about 12-14” in diameter. After 10 minutes, remove the cast iron from the oven. Quickly sprinkle the base of the pan with the cornmeal, and then carefully lay the pizza dough disc on top. Do not worry about the dough covering the sides, it will rise up the sides on its own as it cooks. Use a fork to prick the surface of the dough all over, spacing the pricks about an inch apart. Return the pan with the dough to the lowest rack of the oven and bake until the surface of the dough looks dry and is browned in some places, about 6 minutes. If any gigantic bubbles form in the dough during this time, use your fork to puncture them.

Remove the pan from the oven and reduce the oven heat to 425F. Then layer your fillings onto the pizza crust. I recommend layering cheese on the bottom, followed by toppings and/or sauces, and then more cheese on top. Remember not to fill your pizza too densely with toppings or they may not cook evenly or all the way through.

Return the pizza to the oven, this time on the highest rack. Bake until the crust is fully crisp and the cheese is melted and hot, about 12-15 minutes.

When baked, the pizza should lift easily out of the pan with a sturdy spatula. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into pieces.