Wood-burning ovens in Italy

I try to get back to the old country as often as possible, and the first thing I do after I arrive is weigh into a Napoli pizza. I will get into explaining how to duplicate a Napoli pizza crust and sauce in later articles, but let's first discuss a crucial ingredient in the making of this pizza – smoke and high heat. Wood-burning ovens are common sites behind country homes all through Italy. If you have had the experience, you probably agree that something cooked in a wood oven tastes like nothing else. In fact, Italians scoff at the idea of calling something a pizza if it is not made in a wood-burning oven. The typical oven in Italy contains tons of bricks, mortar, concrete, and let's not forget the tile and clay on the inside and outside. It is also very important to get the vault in the correct proportions to ensure that enough air comes in and smoke goes out.

Building or buying your own stove

Now my wife loves pizza made in the traditional Napoli way in a wood-burning oven but even if I were inclined to build a stove (I am the world's worst handyman), I am not sure she could tolerate the aesthetics (nor would our neighbors even though we live in the country). Then there is the problem of stoking the fire. Traditionalists insist that you keep the coals going to impart a special flavor the next time you whip something up. I can just imagine the pot belly I would have from making rich breads, pizzas, and even stews and cooked vegetables via the oven. I mean, what's the use of having it if you don't use it. So to avoid the hassles of building my own (and the grief from the neighborhood), I checked into buying an in-house (residential) wood-burning stove. Forget it (at least until I win the lotto). Low-end residential stoves start at about $17,000 and go up to about $25,000.

Getting Crazy

What to do? Those wonderful Italian pizzas seemed just out of my reach. The thin crust is crunchy and the top puffs up and is crispy. And don't forget the superb smoky taste. This is due to the high heat from the floor of the oven, the high heat trapped in the vault along with the smoke, and the circulation caused by the fire. Temperatures reach 650 degrees F or more. I was desperate. I had to have my pizza fix. I turned to improvising. But let me state for the record that although I think I have come close, I will never achieve the perfection of the wood-burning oven.

Using your Grill

How to turn your grill into a semi tolerable wood-burning oven? It is quite simple actually. I have a jenn-air gas grill (see photo) that seems to be able to handle my concoction. You pull one grill out and replace it with a log of oak. I crank up the left grill and put the other three on low. Once the grill reaches 700 degrees F (or more) with the cover closed and the wood is actually aflame, I lay the pizza next to the wood. In just a few minutes if the temperature is kept high, you can turn out a pizza (make sure you keep rotating it so the part toward the wood does not burn). Try it but I make no guarantees about damage to your grill. However, I have been doing this for a while with no problems.

Talk of the neighborhood

The pizza is as close to authentic as I can get without the intensive labor and cost of a wood-burning stove. And I am a huge hit with family and friends. Our social gatherings always include my Napoli pizza and a fine Chianti.