Pizza Oven Thread

[Tony Angelino]

giblet said:

....230-250g per dough ball.....

Question for those hand stretching, is this the typical ball size? I have struggled so roll them out and my crust does puff but not by much at all.

Could I also as for a bit of feedback from the group as to what temperature you get your stones before using please? I seem to struggle to get my bases cooked enough in my wood oven, not sure if my design is letting me down or I am just not getting the oven floor hot enough for long enough.

thanks

[Tony Angelino]

This would be a typical effort from me and my oven, can’t help but think I’m underachieving given my set up and ingredients.

[Tony Angelino]

Thanks, just bought that roller. Got to be worth a punt for under a fiver delivered.

[Tony Angelino]

pokethepope said:

What flour are you using?

00 Caputo Blue
Fresh Yeast
Pizza Pilgrims (frying pan video from last year)

[Tony Angelino]

I am struggling getting my pizza oven floor about 400 degrees or so, regardless of how long I burn my fire for. This affects my pizza as the topping is cooked before the base. I am considering an Ooni, does anybody know what temperature their floor gets to please? Not sure if I would go gas, wood or multi.

[Tony Angelino]

Freakuk said:

You don't say what oven you are using??

I've got an Ooni Karu, I've only had it about a month or so, I just use wood currently as the gas burners are out of stock. I've got an IR thermometer and I've had the pizza stone at over 500C when burning stuff off, I think it's around 430C to cook the base properly.

Similar style to this one

https://www.thepizzaovenshop.com/product/clementi-...

I had the fire burning for 45 minutes or so last night with KD beech offcuts, the oven itself reads 900+ but the floor doesnt get over 400 according to the thermometer.

[Tony Angelino]

randlemarcus said:

That's quite a price differential Surely Sir would prefer a proper massive handbuilt job?

No, its not that model it is just a similar design but much cheaper- mine was around £600 but over 10 years ago so I don't know if technology has moved on or if the stones on the base lose their heat retention capabilities over time or anything like that. I struggle to get the bases cooked on it though, even when having the fire burning for 45 minutes or so.

I think I have posted before on here saying that despite using the same ingredients and methods as others (using potentially lesser set ups to actually cook on) I struggle to get results that appear as good as others based on the pics.

[Tony Angelino]

Murph7355 said:

Tony Angelino said:

No, its not that model it is just a similar design but much cheaper- mine was around £600 but over 10 years ago so I don't know if technology has moved on or if the stones on the base lose their heat retention capabilities over time or anything like that. I struggle to get the bases cooked on it though, even when having the fire burning for 45 minutes or so.

I think I have posted before on here saying that despite using the same ingredients and methods as others (using potentially lesser set ups to actually cook on) I struggle to get results that appear as good as others based on the pics.

Are you leaving the door open? And does your chimney have a baffle like the one in the picture?

I leave embers/logs near the front for a bit and get the over really hot....then push everything to the rear before starting cooking...works best if the air temp is allowed to drop a bit (opening up the chimney baffle cover this).

Gratuitous oven pic (have had a few goes at rotating the chuffer!):



Pizza from left overs (left over dough and left over lamb, halloumi etc...pizza kebab!)

I generally leave the door open for the first minute or so until I am sure the kindling has taken, then I close the door waiting for the hardwood to burn almost through with the fire to one side of the oven. After 45 minutes or so, I move the fire to the opposite side of the oven and cook in the space to the side where the fire previously was. I wonder if as I am cooking more inside the oven than if I was cooking at the front, the extra air temp might be causing my issue.

My chimney has like a cowl on the top but nothing that is adjustable.

[Tony Angelino]

ramblo93 said:

Tony Angelino said:

I generally leave the door open for the first minute or so until I am sure the kindling has taken, then I close the door waiting for the hardwood to burn almost through with the fire to one side of the oven. After 45 minutes or so, I move the fire to the opposite side of the oven and cook in the space to the side where the fire previously was. I wonder if as I am cooking more inside the oven than if I was cooking at the front, the extra air temp might be causing my issue.

I've recently got a wood fired oven (Mezzo 76) and have found it takes some getting used to the temps. Initially i was struggling to get the temp high enough. I solved that by using kiln dried wood.

Last session I did similar to you....moved the fire once the oven was up to temp then cooked where the fire had been. I burnt the bases because I should have let the heat disapate from the base a bit (where the fire had been). A fried with the same oven suggested the dome walls should be about 415 degrees and the floor about 385 degrees for the perfect pizza.

Think the lesson learnt which may help you is to let the oven cool a little before cooking.

Thanks for the reply, I have note used it since my last post but I am certainly going to try letting the oven cool a little before cooking. I will mess about with a couple of different temperatures to see what happens.

[Tony Angelino]

Thanks to those who suggested I let the air temp of my oven cool before cooking - this worked a treat. My base was crispy whilst the top just done nice, it made a real difference.

I lit the oven and went out for an hour or so, moved the fire to the side and cooked. Really worked well, thanks for all your help lads. Pics to follow.

[Tony Angelino]

Pic.

[Tony Angelino]

[Tony Angelino]

I think goats cheese and caramalized red onion is really nice.

[Tony Angelino]

Greshamst said:

Garlic bread


Carbonara


Salami

Looks lovely, would you care to share what recipe you use for the garlic bread please? I have tried a couple of ways without much luck, do you use your own garlic butter?

thanks

[Tony Angelino]

number2 said:

You're not asking me but...

Butter, garlic (through garlic press), parsley and some salt.

Mash up and dollop on pizza base.

Love it.

Thanks, I tend to use frozen/pre crushed garlic or Johnnies Garlic Powder. I don't have a garlic press so I will get one and give it a go, this is probably where I am going wrong.

ta

[Tony Angelino]

Greshamst said:

Mince 3-4 cloves of garlic, put them in a cold pan with about 0.5tbs of olive oil, put to medium heat and cook out a little just to take the rawness off the garlic. Mix into room temperature butter with some chopped parsley and salt.

I had left an unused dough ball out overnight (dough had already had 3 day proof) so turned it into a roll with “Everything But” seasoning.

Thanks, I will give this a go.

[Tony Angelino]

simon_harris said:

You can finely chop garlic then mash it on a cutting board with the blade of a knife and some salt before mixing it with butter. We tend to put a bit of mixed herbs in our garlic butter

Thanks, I will give this a bash before buying a crusher.

[Tony Angelino]

simon_harris said:

If you prefer a more muted garlic taste the other way to go is to confit the garic, cook it slowly in oil for a couple of hours, cool and decant into a jar. use the cloves in cooking or put them into butter for garlic butter as and when you need them, you also get a lovely garlic oil with it - I like to use that to fry eggs for a sunday fryup

Thanks but full on 100% garlic is my preference.