Pizza ovens

[miguel38]

Following on from the general consensus that the water on the pizza is cause by the oven not being hot enough etc...
what experience do you have with the counter top pizza ovens? are they worth it and do they actually work?

something a little like this i had in mind
http://www.prezzybox.com/products/index.aspx?pid=4...

[Plotloss]

Use normal oven, buy bakestone.

15mm thick bit of granite, cut to fit in your oven.

Preheat it, cook on that.

Job.

[Gaffer]

My oven came with a pizza stone, makes the base crispy very nicely,
could be a cheaper alternative..????

I have an AEG Concpet IIRC....

Claire

[miguel38]

Plotloss,

Do you mean something like this?
http://www.welshbakestone.co.uk/thestone.htm

or just go to a stone mason to get a slab of granite?

[Plotloss]

You could use either, welsh bakestones are more for making welsh :drool: cakes but its a similar concept.

Anything that absorbs the heat.

Oven on full tilt, let it get some heat in, pizza on that.

[sleep envy]

[cramorra]

What you want is somethink like this, also great for roasting poatoes, flat bread, fish lasagne ....
If you surf around you may find cheaper...
Ital Stromboli Pizza Oven
Stainless steel structure
Stone baking deck
Shock-proof heating elements
Air vent with shutter
Capacity: 2 x 225mm pizza
Oven Chamber: 410mm x 360mm x 80mm
Theromstat: 50-350°C
Electrical loading 1.6KW 230V~
580mm x 490mm x 245mm
One year parts and labour warranty


Price: £290.00 (Excluding VAT at 17.5%)

Normal Delivery 2-3 working days - direct

Supplier Reference : A1


http://www.kcm-catering-equipment.co.uk/acatalog/E...

[sleep envy]

[Nefarious]

I use my cast iron griddle pan.

Whack the oven up to max and let its get up to temp. At the same time put the heaviest pan you've got on the hob on full. Load the pizza onto a thin metal tray, pop the pan in the oven upside down with the tray on top.

Stones are good, but you can only ever get them as hot as the oven (250C for most domestic jobbies) and ideally you want something nearer 350-400C.

[miguel38]

cramorra said:

What you want is somethink like this, also great for roasting poatoes, flat bread, fish lasagne ....
If you surf around you may find cheaper...
Ital Stromboli Pizza Oven
Stainless steel structure
Stone baking deck
Shock-proof heating elements
Air vent with shutter
Capacity: 2 x 225mm pizza
Oven Chamber: 410mm x 360mm x 80mm
Theromstat: 50-350°C
Electrical loading 1.6KW 230V~
580mm x 490mm x 245mm
One year parts and labour warranty


Price: £290.00 (Excluding VAT at 17.5%)

Normal Delivery 2-3 working days - direct

Supplier Reference : A1


http://www.kcm-catering-equipment.co.uk/acatalog/E...

looks good - although i am still but a mere student and am not going to spend that much! was willing around £50ish but not that high, maybe next year when ive got a job (hopefully) hehe.

[smack]

Nefarious said:

I use my cast iron griddle pan.

Whack the oven up to max and let its get up to temp. At the same time put the heaviest pan you've got on the hob on full. Load the pizza onto a thin metal tray, pop the pan in the oven upside down with the tray on top.

Stones are good, but you can only ever get them as hot as the oven (250C for most domestic jobbies) and ideally you want something nearer 350-400C.

I saw Heston use that method, and been meaning to give it a try. Does it reduce the cooking time by much?

[Nefarious]

smack said:

Nefarious said:

I use my cast iron griddle pan.

Whack the oven up to max and let its get up to temp. At the same time put the heaviest pan you've got on the hob on full. Load the pizza onto a thin metal tray, pop the pan in the oven upside down with the tray on top.

Stones are good, but you can only ever get them as hot as the oven (250C for most domestic jobbies) and ideally you want something nearer 350-400C.

I saw Heston use that method, and been meaning to give it a try. Does it reduce the cooking time by much?

Not by as much as you'd think, given the heat involved. I guess it's all down to the thickness of the dough (mine can definately be improved to get it thinner) and the volume of toppings (I'm a sucker for loading extra mozzerella, meat, more cheese etc etc).
Given that, one of my pizzas (1'x1'6"-ish) takes about 10-12 mins vs about 15 mins, but not properly crispy in the middle.