The same intense heat that makes incredible pizza also roasts, sears, and bakes beautifully. Here are ten reasons to keep the fire going.
One of the great joys of owning a pizza oven is discovering how much more it can do. Once the pizzas are done, the oven is still full of heat, and that heat is a gift. Here are ten dishes that turn your oven into the center of every meal, not just pizza night.
Start hot, then ride the heat down
The smart way to cook a whole meal is to follow the temperature. Begin at full heat for pizza, then use the falling heat for roasts, breads, and finally desserts as the oven settles. One fire, a whole evening of food.
Ten ideas to try
| Dish | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Roasted vegetables | Caramelize fast with a gentle smokiness |
| Seared steak or chops | A restaurant-quality crust in minutes |
| Whole roast chicken | Crisp skin, juicy inside, in a cast-iron pan |
| Wings | Crisp and smoky, perfect for a crowd |
| Whole fish | Quick, delicate, and full of flavor |
| Fresh bread and focaccia | A blistered crust home ovens cannot match |
| Flatbreads | Fast, flexible, endlessly customizable |
| Baked pasta | Bubbling and golden in a hot oven |
| Roasted fruit | A simple, warm finish to the night |
| Skillet cookies | Gooey dessert with almost no effort |
Advanced insight: cast iron is your best friend
A good cast-iron pan or dutch oven unlocks most of the dishes above. It handles the extreme heat, moves easily in and out of the oven, and holds temperature for searing and roasting. Keep one sized to your oven mouth and you can cook almost anything a conventional oven can, plus a few things it cannot.
Make the most of every fire
Once you start cooking beyond pizza, the oven earns its place in your week many times over. It becomes the reason to gather on a Sunday, the easiest way to feed a crowd, and the centerpiece of meals you will want to repeat.
New to live-fire cooking? Explore pizza ovens built to do all of this and more, and watch this space for recipes that go well beyond pizza.