I think that's a great idea, particularly with peppers for example. It will intensify flavour and reduce water. You'r right there won't be any issue with the oven because it will be reaching high temperatures and cooking pretty fast.

I'm curious about pizza ovens. I looked for them online and it doesn't seem like something that's easy to find in the US unless you own a restaurant and want a big oven. I Googled Fimar and Effueno but didn't see a way to get them in the US. What do they cost? What are the best brands? Why?

gfunkd -

In the US, a very good source:

http://www.pizzacraft.com/

We had our son ship one from California to use, which we use with a gas adaptor. It reaches the magic high-heat number for quick, good tasting pizza, and is easy to use and clean. It is if you want, also portable, using a small tank, and when the pizza oven top is removed, can then be used for wok and paella cooking. A very well thought out product.

Bespoke or Custom Pizza Ovens are increasingly seen here, as they can be used for pizza, bread, lasagna, and just to keep warm while entertaining. The cost and labour jumps of course, but to each his own.

Interesting, thanks. I was more thinking of electric countertop indoor ones, but the Pizzacraft looks neat too.

I'm no electrics expert, but from my reading on the pizza forums the issue is that US voltage requires extra electrical work. A genuine pizza oven for Neapolitan style pizza must reach around 950f+. My one takes 1 hrs 30 min to reach cooking temperature. It's a more complex topic than you'd think but the only ones avaiable are catering units. There is one exception and the G3 Ferrari Pizza ovens are a bit of a compromise and take a lot of learning to use and there is a whole sub-culture of people adapting them. The main issue is that it only has one heating element. It does however cook excellent pizza once you have persevered and mastered them.

http://www.g3ferrari.net/en/prodotti.php?mcat=1

I have a model that was withdrawn because the higher temperatures breached some eu laws and it couldn't technically be legally sold. I replaced it with my chap above. You can buy these online. Some people are importing my new oven successfully from Italy. My one came from Rimini.

I suggest you have a read through ..

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/ind...oard,47.0.html

.... you'll see me plodding along there with other pizza nerds ...

How much do you charge for personal pizza bakes? Miles? Beer/alcohol? :D

Also i forgot to mention I did make some pizza but it didnt look as nearly as good as yours!

..... these threads might be useful. They compare the two main ones that seem right for someone wanting to use a real pizza oven in a domestic environment. Froget about all the modding to make it hotter .... they aren't necessary. I went for the Micro and I'm thrilled to bits with it. It's made by one compoany and is rebranded by others. I got mine via the UK agent of the manufacturer. It has two independently controlled elements that each reach 500c ie around 950f.

http://www.teconova.it/public/gestio...ar/Micro1V.jpg

In it's new home!

http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/t...64A4050DEB.jpg

...... starting off point threads.

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/ind...&topic=27380.0

This is about the main other one which many prefer but I decided not to go for.

http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/ind...&topic=27380.0

Sign up and post there, they and I will guide you through.

A reall pizza oven is life changing, just like my lava briq bbq grill .....

I'm missing my kitchen.

:D

How kind.

Funnily enough - you mention beer, the project starting when I get back is a micro brewery. A micro-micro brewery. 6 kegs are waiting to be filled and I have 6 thermo sensors all over my home working out where the best places are for fermenting then conditioning. And whilst I'm here in hot Singapore the sensors are telling me that I need to warm the place up. :)

Glad you like my pizza and ice cream - the picture of the whole one didn't do it justice - it made it look darker than it was.

If you're sufficiently interested in improving your pizza, happy to give any help I am able to.

I always sautee the vegetables before using them as pizza toppings. Sometimes I'll roast them too, depending on the flavor that I'm going for (ie red peppers, eggplant, whole tomatoes). Doing this always works out well, the vegetables are soft and the resulting pizza isn't soggy. I don't have a dedicated pizza oven, however, just my beloved, everyday gas oven.

And while I'm blaspheming one of our favorites is a caramelized onion and garlic pizza topped with bacon (yes, you partially cook the bacon first before topping the pizza with it).

I see nothing un-Godly about that at all. A hot oven caramalises the onion anywhere, and I like the idea of bacon. I'd choose that lovely streaky American smoked bacon. I wish I were home making pizza.

Yeah, just avoid the ones with maple flavor added. :eek:

Let me find those pics :D

And mmm brewery... I have had the same idea but want to take a step further :D

Oh gawd, avoid that kind on general principles!
Since I'm in the US, streaky bacon was the kind that I had in mind.

Going against the grain I made a Chicago style deep dish pizza last night that was very good. I've had a couple of friends from New York who would hardly speak to me when I told them I really liked Chicago style pizza. :D

I don't blame them! :D

New York style is as close as Amercians get to Neapolitan which is as far away as you can get to Chicago style. I guess the Italian immingrants to New York liked to keep things as close and authentic to home as possible. I guess your friends reacted as close as a Neapolitan would have done ......"less is more" ....:)

You might be interested in the discussions that take place here about tghe different styles ... but mostly US orientated ....