The high temperatures of pizza ovens make them ideal environments to bake and sear a variety of different foods. From fresh loaves of bread to crisp charred cauliflower, there’s a wealth of pizza oven recipes that home chefs can bake. 

Below, we’re serving up 3 of the best pizza oven recipes skilled hands and blistering heat can prepare. 

#1 – Basic dough: The foundational food

While it may sound odd to try to think beyond homemade pizza, a basic dough, flour, water, and yeast mixture can come together to make so much more than pizzas alone. From rustic loaves to focaccias, exceptional dough is the basis of superlative baked goods.

This recipe is adapted from a Neapolitan-style pizza dough, but it can be used to bake a wide variety of bread-based recipes. To prepare, gather:

● 10.5 ounces/300g (2 L cups) bread flour

● 2 teaspoons sugar

● 1½ teaspoons kosher salt

● 1 teaspoon instant yeast

● 7 ounces (200ml) room temperature water

● 2 teaspoons olive oil

Once you’ve compiled everything, grab your largest container or the bowl of stand mixer and: 

1. Combine all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, and yeast), and stir thoroughly until everything is well incorporated and homogenous.

2. In a separate mixing cup, combine the water and oil before adding it to the dry ingredients.

3. If using a bench mixer, spin it on a low speed until the dough slowly forms into a ball. If working by hand, begin with a mixing utensil, such as a fork or wooden spoon, before moving to kneading the dough manually.

4. After about five minutes of mixing, check on the pizza dough's consistency. It should be a bit tacky, but not too sticky.

5. If the dough feels too sticky, add one tablespoon of flour at a time until it dries out slightly.

6. Knead or mix for about eight to ten minutes until it forms a singular, cohesive, and smooth ball of dough.

7. Split this large ball into two smaller pieces for proofing.

8. Allow to rise in the fridge for 8-24 hours, depending on how much time you have. The longer you let it sit, the more flavorsome and airy the dough will become. Some chefs allow dough to cold ferment for several days, resulting in more tangy flavors in the final product.

If you’re pressed for time, most doughs will rise at room temperature for about an hour, though you will miss out on some of those signature funky flavors.

After the dough has risen, it can be punched down and flattened to create a plethora of mouthwatering baked delights:

● Bake it plain for a loaf of bread that exceeds all expectations

● Top it with olive oil, rosemary, sliced garlic, and sprinkled salt for foundational focaccia—or figs, balsamic glaze, and ham for focaccia with flair

● Stuff with your favorite meats, cheese, and vegetables and fold for a classic calzone—or roll it up to enter the wonderful world of strombolis

Be sure to keep in mind the proper pizza oven temperature for your recipe. You can cook these delicacies on high heat, but baking times may vary. So, keep an eye on exactly how crisp and golden your food is getting as it cooks.

#2 – Charred cauliflower steaks with lemon-herb sauce

Cauliflower is 92% water, which means it’s full of delicious juices that provide it with its signature savory kick. To keep it juicy and delicious, consider this crafty cooking approach that uses high heat to sear the vegetable’s exterior and seal in its flavor. 

The cooking process is separated into two segments: the cauliflower itself and the accompanying sauce. It takes a while for the sauce’s separate components to mingle and blend, so we’ll get started on it first. To begin, grab:

● 1 cup (about ½ bunch/60g) Italian parsley, roughly chopped

● 1½ tablespoons roughly chopped dill

● 2 cloves garlic, chopped

● 1 tablespoon chopped shallot

● 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained

● 1 tablespoon lemon zest, gently packed

● 1½ tablespoons lemon juice

● ½ teaspoon kosher salt

● ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

● 3 ounces (90ml) olive oil

As for equipment, all you need is a food processor and a bowl. Get everything together and:

1. Roughly chop and add everything besides the olive oil, salt, and pepper to the food processor.

2. Pulse the food processor until everything is chopped and partially mixed.

3. Run the food processor on medium and slowly stream in olive oil until a rough paste forms.

4. After about 45 seconds, scrape down the sides and process again until a relatively smooth sauce is formed.

5. Remove to a bowl and add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Reserve until you’re done firing the cauliflower. Before serving, mix and taste for salt and pepper, adding more if necessary.

While your sauce’s components become acquainted with one another, wash your cauliflower and heat up your pizza oven. To prepare the steaks, clean the leaves, trim the stem a bit, and:

1. Slice the cauliflower into ¾ inch (2-centimeter) thick steaks.

2. Brush the exterior with olive oil and season to your liking with salt and pepper.

3. Preheat a pizza pan in a blazing hot oven for 2 minutes, remove, and coat thoroughly with olive oil.

4. Move the cauliflower steaks to the pan, and return it to the oven.

5. Cook for three minutes, flip, and cook for another two to three minutes on the other side.

Once the steaks are done, you can serve them right away, or place them in the fridge and serve them cold later. Just remember to drizzle the lemon-herb sauce overtop before serving, and enjoy.

#3 – Oven roasted white fish

Some people might consider cauliflower more of a side than a meal. So, if you’re looking for something more substantial, this simple recipe packs nearly 20g of protein per 100g of fish to keep you full longer (not to mention, it tastes exquisite).

Your favorite species of white fish will work wonderfully with this cooking method. In fact, popular choices, such as haddock, cod, and bass, are excellent options. To prepare this show-stopping seafood dinner, pull together:

● A whole fish (around one to two pounds), cleaned, gutted, and descaled

● Several tablespoons of olive oil

● Four to five cloves of garlic

● Your favorite spice mix—whether it be Classic Italian, Spicy Caribbean Curry, or seafood’s essential companion, Old Bay

● Thinly sliced lemon rounds

If you’re not an ace with a filet knife, many fishmongers can clean your purchase up for you before you cook it. Once your fish is ready for action, follow these steps:

1. Lay your fish out on a piece of aluminum foil large enough to wrap it tightly. 

2. Lightly crush the cloves of garlic and stuff them into the fish’s cavity alongside the lemon rounds, a healthy dose of your spice mix, and a solid glug of olive oil.

3. Rub more olive oil around the fish’s skin until its entire body is coated in a thin, glistening layer.

4. Wrap the foil around the fish tightly, fold the corners, and tuck everything in so no oil leaks. Place it on a baking sheet just to be safe.

5. Slide the baking sheet into a medium-high pizza oven. Since many types of pizza ovens can reach around 700°F, you’re going to want to crank the dial down until you’re between 500-600°F. 

6. Let the fish cook for about ten minutes before removing, checking for doneness, and baking more if necessary.

The foil should protect its delicate flesh, but the fish should develop a bit of a charred crispy crust. Ideally, you’re looking for a touch of crispness on the exterior and flaky, soft meat inside. Serve alongside the cauliflower steaks with a fresh, cool salad, or atop a bed of rice to sop up the fish’s rich, savory juices.

Discover the true potential of a pizza oven with Breville

While pizza ovens are designed to craft the ultimate crispy pizza, they have many other uses. Their blistering hot heat is perfect for searing meats and rising baked goods to their maximum potential. And, when it comes to heat, there’s one brand of pizza oven that (literally) burns hotter than the others.

While other ovens may aspire to roast at 700°F, Breville’s red-hot pizza oven reaches a full 750°F. That means stronger sears on your steaks, salmon, and shish kebabs. Higher heat also leads to better browning on bread, buns, and other baked goods—and, of course, provides the crispiest, crunchiest crust to your homemade pizzas. 

With The Pizzaiolo, the possible recipes for pizza ovens are almost endless. Think beyond pizza, and roast something radical with Breville.

 

Sources: 

1. Breville. The Smart Oven™ Pizzaiolo. https://breville-production-aem-assets.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com

2. Serious Eats. How Long Should I Let My Dough Cold Ferment?. https://www.seriouseats.com/

3. University of California at Los Angeles. 15 foods that help you stay hydrated. https://www.uclahealth.org/

4. United States Department of Agriculture. Fish, whitefish, mixed species, raw. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/