Oven temperatures can be maintained at very high levels, 450°C to 700°C.
Cook Pizzas on the oven floor towards the front of the oven, closing the door after
loading. Pizzas can cook in as little as 90 seconds and will required turning during the
cooking process using the peel supplied.
Oven temperature depends on how long the fire has been lit, how much wood has been
burnt and even the type and quality of wood used (See what type of wood is best on
page 10).
The oven will hold a cooking temperature from a glowing ash bed but maintaining a
flame considerably increases the temperature.
If the base temperature has become higher than desired, use the Pizza trays supplied to
compensate.
It is possible to have the embers pushed either to the back of the oven or to either side.
The further in the oven you place the food, the hotter the temperature will be.
An ash guard is supplied to help reduce the ash ingression on the cooking area of the
oven. This should be placed in once the fire is established and prior to cooking however
it can reduce the temperature and increase cooking times.
Fish, meat or vegetables can be cooked on a cast iron griddle placed in the oven. Again
with high temperatures the cooking process may be faster than you are used to, so keep
an eye on your food whilst it is cooking, until you become more familiar with the
performance of your oven.
We recommend a layer of Polenta on the base of the oven to stop Pizzas sticking when
cooking directly on the stone base.
We highly recommend that you make your own pizza dough fresh. It will taste infinitely
superior to anything ‘ready-made’ and will reward your efforts.
