Outdoor Kitchen: Pizza Oven Recipes

Words by Bridie Newman


Charred bubble crusts, melted mozzarella pulls, delicately browned toppings – master the art of pizza-making (and for the un-officiated among you, it truly is an art) and your garden parties will be the hottest ticket in town. But how do you make the best pizza using an outdoor pizza oven? The experts at Witt weigh in and share their tried-and-tested recipes for every step of the process.

The Pizza Oven

If your favourite thing about dining alfresco is showing off your latest bit of kit, get acquainted with Witt’s Rotante pizza oven. The latest innovation in pizza oven technology, it’s rotating stone – alongside a U-shaped burner and booster burner beneath the stone to maintain consistent heat – gives you evenly baked pizzas with a crispy base, optimum browning and a perfectly leopard-spotted, crunchy crust. Best of all, the rotating feature takes the guesswork out of pizza-making meaning no more grappling with a peel to carefully turn your pizza while it cooks. Find more in our guide to the best BBQs and pizza ovens.

Step 1: The Pizza Dough Recipe

First things first, the base. For a Neapolitan-style pizza, perfectly soft and pliable yet chewed and charred around the edges, get the food mixer out and try Witt’s pizza dough recipe, specifically formulated for use in a pizza oven. For optimal results, prepare the dough 48 hours ahead and refrigerate, and let it rest at room temperature for 4-5 hours before use.

1. Dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the oil and flour.


2. Knead the dough at maximum speed in a mixer until it begins to collapse down the side of the bowl. Takes approximately 8-12 minutes.


3. Add salt and knead the dough for an additional 3-4 minutes.


4. Put the dough in a container with a dash of olive oil and leave it in the fridge overnight (or leave it at room temperature for 4-5 hours).


5. Divide the dough into portions of 225g and shape into round balls.


6. Put the dough in an oil-lined container with a lid and leave it to rise at room temperature for an hour. Stretch and bake the dough in the pizza oven.

Step 2: The Pizza Oven Sauce Recipe

Put the shop-bought passata aside and make this elevated take on a classic tomato sauce to take your pizza to the next level. To avoid a watery consistency, drain the tomato sauce or simmer until you reach your desired thickness. Restaurant-quality pizza, coming right up.

Makes 8 servings

Preperation time: 1 minute

Cooking time: 20 minutes


1 large onion

¼ chilli

2 cloves of garlic

2 sprigs of thyme

2 sprigs of oregano

3 tbsp of olive oil

100ml white wine

2 tbsp tomato purée

2 cans of chopped tomatoes

2 tsp salt

1 tsp cane sugar

2 tbsp dark balsamic vinegar


1. Finely chop the onion, garlic and chilli and sauté them together with the thyme and oregano in the olive oil.


2. Add the white wine and reduce until around a quarter remains.


3. Add tomato purée and chopped tomatoes and let it simmer for 5-10 minutes.


4. Add the salt, sugar and balsamic vinegar (and pepper, if you like) and let it simmer for an additional 5 minutes.


5. Blend the tomato sauce with a stick blender until the sauce has the desired consistency.

The Condiments

However you choose to top your pizza, be it a drizzle of chilli honey, a sprinkle of sea salt or fresh truffle shavings, you’ll find a vast selection of pantry staples in the Roastery & Bake Hall on the Ground Floor in-store.

Step 3: The Potato Pizza Recipe

Fire up the pizza oven and opt for a Sicilian-style carb-on-carb masterpiece with this potato and salsiccia pizza recipe with fresh herbs. Trust us, this is one you’ll make time and time again.

Makes one pizza

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 90 seconds


1 pizza dough ball (280g)

1-2 potatoes (depending on the size)

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Thyme

Rosemary

Parmesan or Pecorino

80g fior di Latte or mozzarella

100g salsiccia sausage


1. Preheat a cast iron pan in your pizza oven to 400°C.


2. Cut thin slices of potatoes, sprinkle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary.


3. Place the slices in the pan and sear them on a medium to high flame. Flip them after around 1-2 minutes.


4. Remove from the pan when slightly browned and stretch out your pizza dough.


5. Drizzle some olive oil on your base, followed by freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fior di latte. Then add your potato slices and some chunks of salsiccia.


6. Bake in the pizza oven at 450°C on a low flame for about 90 seconds, or until you're happy with the crust.

The Pizza Oven Accessories

What’s a brand-new pizza oven without the bells and whistles to match? While the Rotante oven might do the pizza turning for you, you’ll still want to look the part as you transfer your creation from oven to plate. For additional rustic-chic pizzazz, serve on wooden peels.

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