4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

10 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated

4 ounces pepperoni

1/2 green pepper, thinly sliced

1 cup tomato sauce (store-bought or homemade)

Dried basil

Red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Roll out the pizza dough into a large rectangle about 12 inches in length. Spread the softened butter on dough in an even, thin layer. Fold the pizza dough into thirds, like a book (fold the right side into the center, and then left side over the right). Roll out dough a second time and repeat the fold. This will create many layers of butter inside the dough.

Lightly oil a 12-inch cast iron or other oven-safe skillet (if the skillet is well seasoned, you don't need to oil it). Roll the finished dough out into a large circle roughly 15 inches wide -- large enough to fit in the skillet and come at least an inch up the sides of the pan. Transfer the dough to the skillet.

Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly over the crust, then top with pepperoni and sliced peppers. Spoon the sauce over everything and sprinkle with dried basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

Bake the pizza for 60 minutes. Let the pizza cool for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Recipe Note:

If you want an even cheesier deep-dish pie, add about a cup of ricotta cheese in the bottom of the crust, then layer in the mozzarella and other toppings!

(Nick Evans is a writer for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking. Submit any comments or questions to kitchn@apartmenttherapy.com.)