Earth Oven Bakery - Handcrafted Pizza

 (See my earth oven under construction)

I’m still working on the perfect timing for both the fire building and dough rising. To avoid the frustration of not having the oven hot enough when it’s time to bake, I start pizza fires before I make the dough because both the rising and the baking go quickly with pizza. Giving the fire 1 ½ hours before removing the hot coals is just about right. The initial oven is very hot, over 500. Wait till it drops to around 450 before the first baking, without toppings. Watch closely; pizza can turn to char quickly. I find 3 minutes is about right in a very hot oven. That way I can partially bake several pizza crusts, one at a time, and still have enough heat to finish baking the pizzas with their toppings. 

Spinach, onion & cheddar on whole wheat

Rosemary, onion & mozzarella pizza

Fresh tomato & basil with Parmesan makes a simple but wonderful pizza.

Although I am beginning to explore gluten-free pizza crust, at this point my favorite for texture and taste is, hands down, a 75/25 blend of unbleached bread flour and whole wheat flour. To make a thin crust that is tender yet crispy, skip the kneading. Mix a soft dough, cover and let rise until double, about an hour. Punch down and let rest 10 minutes, then shape onto pizza pans that have been spread with olive oil and sprinkled with corn meal (optional). Cover loosely and let rise for ½ hour. 

Ingredients for one 12-inch pizza

(Easily multiplied for two or more pizzas)

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

¾ cup plus 2 tbs unbleached bread flour

½ tsp active yeast

½ tsp salt

½ cup water

1 tbs olive oil

1 tsp honey

Start with these measurements and adjust as you like after trying the recipe. Bake at app. 425 degrees F for about 3 minutes. Remove from oven, remove from pizza pan and place on pizza peel if you have one. Coat top of crust with olive oil, spread favorite toppings and then cover with shredded cheese. Place in the oven by gently pushing it off the peel, and bake 5 to 10 additional minutes, depending on the heat in the oven.

I like to cut everything chiffonade, or tiny strips. Roll up the greens into somewhat tight little bunches and slice thinly. I also thinly slice (as in slivers) onion, pepper, tomato and anything else I use for a topping. 

Some combinations that have become my favorite earth oven pizzas:

·         Fresh basil and spinach with onion, pesto and mozzarella

·         Onion, spinach and cheddar

·         Sweet bell pepper, holy basil, spinach and mozzarella

·         Tomato, rosemary, onion and feta

·         Tomato, basil and Parmesan

I 

Friends Randy and Melody Strickland came over to taste test some earth oven pizza. Randy’s a carnivore so I made one with thinly sliced ham. We also ate my one-and-only watermelon, from a seedling Melody had given me back in the spring. Turns out to be a good combination, savory pizza with light & sweet watermelon for dessert.