It may sometimes get a bad rap, but pizza can be a nutritious dish if you apply the right ingredients. Toppings like fruits, vegetables, and light cheese can turn this dish up a notch from delicious to healthy and delicious. And one way to ensure that you’re eating healthier pizza is by using a wood fired oven to fire up your pie.
Yes, wood fired pizza is packed with health benefits, from perks for your personal health to even your financial well-being. Here are five benefits to eating pizza from a wood-fired oven.
1. Heating a pizza over an oven flame helps cook the fruit and vegetable toppings faster and also helps them maintain their nutrients and antioxidants. Some of the most nutritional pizza toppings include ham (which is lower in fan compared to sausage), pineapple, low-fat cheese (which proves to be higher in protein), broccoli (if you’re feeling adventurous), and spinach, which isn’t just a fan favorite of Popeye—it’s also a favorite of nutritionists who praise it for containing more than 13 flavonoid compounds that work to prevent cancer.
2. Faster cooking time means that you can enjoy your pie faster, and if you’re feeding a lot of people, this means they can enjoy their meal faster. But because it’s right out of the oven, they’ll also have to eat slower, which aids in greater satisfaction from the meal and feeling full. When you eat too fast, this can lead to putting on weight and even worse, not feeling satisfied with what you eat. Thus, eating something right out of the oven and waiting for it to cool allows you not to plow through a pizza—but to savor it and enjoy it more.
3. Wood-fired ovens are also an economically friendly option, as they require no electricity or gas. So not only are you eating healthier pizza, but you’re also saving money, since wood-fired ovens will save you money that might be spent on utilities. With the money you save, you can purchase more cool healthy pizza toppings (what would butternut squash and sage taste like on a pizza?).
4. Wood-fired ovens are safe for cooking any type of food and topping included in your pizza pie, including gluten-free breads, so they can be applied to different diets. However, you might have to play with the cooking time to accommodate the unique ingredients. Gluten-free pizza will needed to be heated longer to 3 minutes to come out fully cooked.
5. Wood-fired pizza also distributes the heat more evenly, so you’re not consuming slices that are half done. Every part is cooked to perfection. Along with the more even heat distribution, wood-fired pizzas have a smoky flavor that adds something to the pie that normal ovens aren’t able to recreate.
Pizza doesn’t have to be unhealthy, and wood-fired ovens can be an integral tool to making pizza taste better and feel better for your body. All it takes is the right equipment and ingredients to make for a healthier pizza pie.
While meat cooking on the grill is a familiar summer smell, nothing beats the aroma of fresh, homemade pizza, wafting from your own backyard. With a personal outdoor pizza oven, you don’t have to wait for the delivery of nearly cold, cardboard flavored pizza. Wood burning pizza ovens used to be reserved for fine Italian restaurants and pizza joints. Not anymore. Now you can enjoy pizza immediately after you pull it out of your home wood fired pizza oven.
Just imagine the parties you’re going to have! There will be no more, “Let’s call out for pizza!” Instead, you’ll be able to say, “Let’s fire up the Italian pizza oven. Who wants pizza?” Your neighborhood will never smell the same! The cooking possibilities are endless. You can make wood fired steaks, fish, chicken, bread and let us not forget pizza!
Depending on the type of outdoor pizza oven you buy, your pizza could be ready before you know it. High quality stainless steel portable wood fired pizza ovens heat up quickly, unlike brick ovens, which can take up to 3 hours to reach up to temperature. Though the end result is the same.
Some people choose to build their own wood fired pizza ovens. That’s one way to go, if you have plenty of time on your hands. Usually, this will take a few weekends. And once it’s built, you have to cure the oven over a period of 3 days. Then, like I mentioned before with the brick outdoor pizza ovens, it takes about 3 hours to heat up. Seems like a long wait to enjoy fresh baked pizza.
There are problems with wood burning pizza ovens. Uneven flooring can make it difficult to remove your pizzas, as the pizza peel will have to maneuver a small obstacle course. Plus, the gaps between the bricks will let heat escape, which means your oven floor will never heat up evenly, and let’s face it, the floor is the heart of the oven. So make sure you have a clear image of the inside of the oven prior to purchasing. Manufactures that do not show clear images of the inside of the oven have something to hide.
Look for an oven with a one-piece flat floor. What caught my eye is the One-Flat-Cooking-Surface™ is a feature in many ilFornino® ovens, including the Professional Series wood fired pizza oven, Professional Plus wood fired pizza oven, Platinum Series wood fired oven, Platinum Plus and the Grande G Series. The Elite Plus Series will soon offer the One-Flat-Cooking-Surface as well. Going to ilFornino website I have noticed that all oven floors were shown clearly. You can also purchase a piece of Himalayan Salt Block and put it on your oven’s floor if you desire. Belforno® offers kits for building your own ovens. Again these are nice kits but you have to ask yourself do I have the time! The building cost tends to add up. Forno Barvo® offers potable stainless steel ovens. Bella Medio by Forno Barvo® has a cooking space of 672 square inches but Forno Bravo fails to show images of the inside of the oven!
What’s the alternative? A wood fired pizza oven made out of stainless steel. Stainless steel pizza ovens are the smart solution to outdoor pizza ovens. They heat up quickly and evenly because the steel reflects the heat, which doesn’t happen with brick domed pizza ovens. You don’t have to worry about rain damaging your stainless steel portable wood fired pizza oven either. Why? Because stainless steel won’t rust. Of course, that does depend on the manufacturer and the type of stainless steel they use. ilFornino® New York makes outdoor pizza ovens that can easily withstand the elements. Their high quality stainless steel insures a superior product. Fontana Ovens® also offer good quality stainless steel, but you’d be better off steering away from Pizza Party ovens. The stainless steel is inferior and tends to rust easily. Again there are many manufactures that sell pizza ovens all over the internet but you have to do your research and keep in mind the following guidelines.
Expect to pay between $1500 – $2800 for a high quality wood fired outdoor pizza oven. Figure out what size you need, the construction of the oven, and the frequency of use each week. There are some fantastic wood burning pizza ovens out there. Look for the following before you make your choice:
Deciding to enhance your backyard with a portable wood fired pizza oven is smart. If you and your family enjoy pizza, it’s a wise investment that keeps your family close.
When it comes to wood fired pizza ovens, size matters. You can’t just look at the outside of the Italian pizza oven. That visual won’t tell you what you need to know. You have to find out what the size is, in square inches, of the cooking area.
Don’t be fooled by the outside appearance. Even if several ovens appear to be the same size, the cooking space may be too small for your needs. And you don’t want to face that disappointment once you’ve set up your wood burning pizza oven, right? Do your research first!
One way you can determine whether or not the pizza oven is a good fit for you is to take 12” plates and arrange them to see how many pizza pies the oven will fit. But remember, you have to leave room for the wood as well.
Here is a list of some wood fired pizza ovens on the market and the size and square inches of the cooking area:
Some manufacturers fail to disclose the size of the cooking area. Make sure you ask before you buy!
In addition to size, you have to keep in mind the quality of materials used. Brick wood burning pizza ovens appeal to many. But they have their drawbacks. Namely, uneven heating. Heat escapes through the spaces between the bricks, which means the floor of the oven does not distribute even heat. Plus, the non-reflective quality of bricks means it takes longer to cook your pizzas.
Stainless steel outdoor pizza oven is a better option, especially with solid, one-piece oven flooring. Stainless steel reflects the heat evenly and, with no gaps in the flooring, your pies are cooked to perfection in the wood fired pizza oven – just as you would expect. But you must decipher the quality of the stainless steel. Read reviews. If consumers are complaining about their outdoor pizza ovens rusting, stay away from those manufacturers. Sure, their ovens are less expensive. But you get what you pay for and a rusty oven eventually will need to be replaced.
Several models of the ilFornino® pizza ovens feature the One-Flat-Cooking-Surface™. Made from large slabs of proprietary refractory material, the One-Flat-Cooking-Surface holds and distributes the heat evenly throughout the wood burning pizza oven, even after the flames are extinguished. This unique feature produces pizza crusts that are cooked to perfection. Pizza toppings crisp up better than when cooked in a regular oven. If you’re looking for the best pizza you can make, the One-Flat-Cooking-Surface™ is definitely something to consider. The following ilFornino® ovens feature this surface: Professional Series, Professional Plus, and Grande G Series. The Elite Plus will be added to the list soon.
The best advice for you to follow when shopping for a wood fired pizza oven is to do your research. Check out reviews. Read about the materials used. Know what you’re looking for before you start shopping and then go for it! You won’t regret adding a wood burning pizza grill to your equipment because, let’s face it, there’s nothing better than a fresh pizza right out of a wood fired pizza oven!
Summer is here, which means plenty of people will be spending time outdoors swimming, relaxing, and yes, eating.
Backyard wood-fired pizza ovens have become a fun party staple for get-togethers, as they produce yummy pie creations while also adding a bit of excitement (who doesn’t enjoy placing a pie in the oven and waiting for it heat up?).
But if you have a backyard wood-fired pizza oven, or are thinking about getting one, how do you maintain it? With an investment like a wood-fired pizza oven, you want to make sure that you keep it in tip-top shape, which means frequently cleaning it. Not only does this make the oven usable for summers to come, but it also helps maintain the flavor of the pizza pies you make for family and friends. Let’s face it, you sure don’t want to serve them a mediocre pie!
Tools You’ll Need to Clean Wood-Fired Pizza Oven
A hoe
A broom or pizza peel
Drawer to catch the ashes
Rag and water
Step One: Cool Down
The first thing you should do is make sure the oven is completely cooled down before you start to clean it. This can involve waiting an hour or so while it cools or waiting until the next time you use the oven. Either way, if you’re about to clean the oven, let the coals cool and push them all to the back of the oven.
Step Two: Scrape
Once the oven is cool, scrape all of the ashes out of the oven with the hoe and into something to catch it. Scrape the coals or ashes as completely as you can.
Step Three: Sweep
At this point, all that should be left are ashes. This is when you’ll want to take the broom and try to rid the oven of the remaining ashes. If you don’t have a designated pizza broom, you can use some pizza peels to scrape the ashes as well.
Step Four: Sizzle
Place the wet rag on the hoe and then clean the inside of the oven. While the oven will be cool, it’s common that the rag will cause it to sizzle from the moisture mixed with the heat. At this point, you’re just trying to get any leftover ashes and coals.
That’s it. You should do this when you’re done with making pizzas for the day or night, to prepare for next time, or when you’re getting ready to make a pizza.
Wood-Fired Oven Tips for the Winter
Even though wood-fired pizza ovens will surely be used in the summer, the good news is that they can be used all year long, even in wintry, snowy climates. Wood-fired pizza is the perfect treat to warm everyone up on a bleak winter day and goes as well with snow as it does with sunshine. You’ll just want to remember not to get ice or moisture inside the oven, as it could destroy the surface and cause cracks. In this case, you’ll want to invest in a durable pizza oven cover.
Whether you’re not planning on using a wood-fired oven in the winter or just want something to protect the oven when it isn’t in use, ilFornino sell wood-fired pizza oven covers. Make sure you take care of the oven so you can enjoy outdoor pizza for seasons to come.
Backyard wood-fired pizza ovens are meant to be enjoyed year-round. You just have to make sure you know how to properly care for them to maximize their use and their pizza production.
Ingredients
Instructions
Make the Dough: Using a mixer mix the all-purpose flour, semolina flour, sugar, salt and yeast on low speed until combined. With the machine running, slowly add the water and oil until a dough forms and no dry flour remains, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rest for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes knead the flour for 15 minutes.
Allow ball of dough to sit reach room temperature (about 60-65F). Prepare your wood fired pizza oven by preheating it to 500 for one hour. In the center of a 12 by 18-inch, well-seasoned steel Sicilian style pan, pour the olive oil.
To remove dough from sheet pan, hold it upside down over the Sicilian pan using a scraper to release everything. Flip dough over with bowl scraper to coat with oil. Flattening your fingers, press and spread the dough outwards towards corners of the pan. The dough does not need to reach the corners. Let rest for 30 minutes in a warm spot.
Gently push out the dough for a second time, repositioning to maintain an even thickness, trying to reach the corners of the pan. For one hour, allow the dough to rest again, uncovered. Wait for it to rise again (but not double in size). The temperature of your surroundings will affect the rising of the dough. Set aside without touching it again.
In a medium sized bowl combine garlic, crushed tomatoes, and a pinch of salt, pepper, and oregano. For shredded mozzarella, toss handful into center of dough and spread outwards. For fresh mozzarella, tear into chunks and spread out evenly on pizza. Leave a half inch of space from edge of dough.
Scoop tomatoes evenly over pizza followed by a drizzle of olive oil. Place the pan in your oven away from the fire for 8 minutes. Then move the pan closer to the fire and keep on rotating it for the an additional 7 minutes. The pizza is finished when cheese has fully melted and crust is a crispy golden brown.
Ensure the crust has not stuck to the edges of the pan, drizzling olive oil down the side if necessary. Cut the pizza on a cutting board, first down the center lengthwise, then across three times to create 12 even slices. If desired, sprinkle oregano, olive oil, and parmesan to finish.
Just like the Beach Boys wished they could bring all of the ladies across America to California in “California Girls,” many pizza lovers wish all the pizza around the world could be New York-style pizza. But unfortunately, if you don’t live in New York City, it can be a bit of a drive to get a slice (not to mention the traffic!).
On the other hand, pizza lovers can make New York-style pizza at home. According to Frank Pinello, owner of Brooklyn’s Best Pizza, the easiest pizza dough is the best pizza dough.
Here’s how to create your own New York-style pizza pie:
Brooklyn’s Best Pizza ‘Five Ingredient’ Recipe
According to Pinello, the right pizza dough needs only five key ingredients i.e.
Blending in a Dough Mixer
First, you’ll want to combine all of the wet ingredients in the mixer. In a separate bowl, combine all of your dry ingredients. Then, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, on a slow setting. Increase the speed as the ingredients blend together in the mixer.
Blending by hand
Combine the dry ingredients and create a small bowl for the wet ingredients. Add a little warm water to the yeast before adding to the ingredients, so that it creates a kind of paste.
Formed Dough
Once the dough forms a ball-like substance and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl, then you can remove it from the mixer, cover it, and put it in the fridge to leave overnight.
When you actually are ready to make your New York-style pizza, you’ll want to take out the dough about an hour before cooking it.
Patting the Dough
In order to get the thin New York-style dough, you’ll want to pat it down into a flat disc about 7 inches in diameter, before letting it rest 2 to 3 minutes. Next, you’ll want to stretch it until you feel like you can’t stretch it anymore, then rest again for 2 to 3 minutes. You’ll continue this process until the dough is roughly 12 to 14 inches in diameter.
Cooking a New York-style Wood-Fired Pie
Once your dough is ready, now it’s time to fire up the wood-fired oven. You’ll want to start a fire and let it burn for 1.5 to 2.5 hours to reach the best temperature, usually when the fire has burned down to coals. For New York-style pizza, the most optimal temperature is usually 600 degrees or higher.
When you reach this point, push the coals to the side and place the dough on directly on the floor or where the coals were previously burning. You may want to get an infrared thermometer, which can tell you where in the oven is the hottest spot.
When it comes to actually cooking the pizza, you’ll only want to keep it in there for 3 to 6 minutes.
Benefits of a Wood-Fired Pie
There are many reasons to cook a New York-style pizza in a wood-fired oven. First, it enhances the flavor, based on how evenly the heat is distributed. Going along with that, wood-fired ovens cook veggie and fruit toppings with more immediacy which helps everything from peppers to pineapple to mushrooms maintain their flavor and antioxidants. Overall, wood-fired ovens can be a healthier option for individuals based on these facts. And since they also save energy, they’re healthier for the environment, too.
You’ve got the ingredients (make sure they’re fresh!). Now it’s time to make the pizza.
But what are the best tools of the trade when it comes to making top-notch pie? What do pizza experts use to make the best slices?
Here’s a look at the best pizza tools, from dough to slice.
Pizza Dough
When it comes to creating the dough, experts over at Serious Eats believe you need a digital scale, to make sure everything is exactly the right amount. Sometimes just a little bit too much of one ingredient can completely throw off the recipe and consistency. In addition to a digital scale, a bench scraper will help scrape up every speck of dough from the counter.
Anthony Falco, pizza czar at Roberta’s in Brooklyn, adds that having the right mixer is also imperative. While you can make the dough by hand, if you are pressed for time, having a mixer with a dough hook will feel like a godsend. If you’re going to make your own dough, you’ll also want your own instant thermometer to make sure the water is the right temperature for the yeast.
And if you don’t have a rolling pin to roll the dough, some pizza enthusiasts will use wine bottles (after all, pizza goes well with wine, too!).
Sauce
Going along with digital scales and correct portions, Dan Risner of PizzaSkool recommends creating visual aids. Something like a poster should include illustrations of what the perfect pizza pie looks like, which may include sauce border widths and more. Visual aids can help when you need to make adjustments, like creating a larger pie for more people.
Once you’re actually allocating the sauce, Risner also recommends getting a spoodle, or a flat-bottom ladle to distribute the sauce the way you want. Spoodles have proven to be crucial when it comes to consistency, as a three-ounce spoodle ladled at a desired angle will allocate the same amount of pizza sauce each and every time.
Steel versus Wood
Whether you have a basic oven or a more specialized one, most experts agree that you’ll want to place the pizza on steel rather than wood, as steel conducts energy extremely well. Andris Lagsdin created Baking Steel sheets which reduces bake time compared to baking stones.
However, when it comes to putting pizza in wood-fired ovens, wooden pizza peels like this one from New Star Foodservice are perfect for putting the pizza in the oven, since they absorb moisture, while metal pizza peels like this one from Kitchen Supply are perfect for removal, since they are easier to maneuver and to slide under the pizza. Typically, the best peels are aluminum and perforated.
Ovens
Floyd McCalmont of Pig Iron Pizza Ovens has said: “The ‘primitive’ ambience of fire, food, and warmth, coupled with the ‘theater’ of a wood-fired oven, cannot be duplicated by gas or electric ovens.” Not only have wood-fired ovens proven to be healthier and better able to maintain antioxidants in veggies and fruits, but there is also a special pageantry with the pie, a production that can’t be duplicated. While creating a pizza pie in an electric or gas oven might be compared to watching a movie, making a pizza in a wood-fired oven is like seeing a live play, as you are part of the production. While pizza fans can go to restaurants to experience these unique pies, they can also create their own wood-fired pies at home with specialty ovens.
Pizza Cutters
Professional chefs don’t have a lot of time when it comes to slicing pizza, so they’ll use tools like the premier pizza cutter from BruArcher, which slices and dices in no time.
Now that you know the best tools of the trade, it’s time to fire up the oven and make the pizza. Do comment below and share your experience. Don’t forget to share this post with your friends and on social media.
