Getting Fired Up Over A Great Way Of Cooking
Illawarra Mercury
Wednesday November 5, 2008
The backyard barbecue might be an Australian tradition but, as LISA WACHSMUTH discovers, some people prefer cooking with outdoor pizza ovens instead.
With the sweeping rural views, Mediterranean-style courtyard and roaring pizza oven it's easy to imagine yourself in the Italian countryside when visiting John and Connie Newmes' Avondale property.The couple is among an increasing number of Australian families installing a traditional pizza oven in their backyard. More and more retailers are now adding the traditional wood-fired ovens to their lines, while specialist stores stock a wide range of options for the discerning home chef.The Newmes share a passion for cooking - John spent years working in the food industry while Connie picked up many tips from her Italian mother.And John knows a thing or two about cooking pizza - his first job at 17 was at Pizza Hut and he ended up managing a number of Illawarra franchises. However, he enjoys the authenticity of the wood-fired oven - although pizza is not the only item on the menu at his place."We cook so many different things in the oven," he says."Aside from pizza, we cook casseroles, fish dishes, roasts as well as a lot of traditional peasant-like dishes from Italy and Spain using rabbit, goat, pork and lamb shanks."It's great for all forms of cooking from all sorts of places - I come from the UK and I like dishes like black pudding and tripe which can even be cooked in the pizza oven."We also cook breads and biscuits and we dry tomatoes, olives, beetroots in it. Whenever we heat the oven up, we make a whole day of cooking out of it."On a recent rainy day, however, Newmes was happy to share a few of his favourite pizza recipes. He whipped up caramelised onion, anchovy and olive pizza; "white pizza" topped with olive oil, garlic, rosemary and sea salt and another with a tomato base (Connie's mother's recipe), homemade salami, mushroom and mozzarella. "In Italy, less is more, and I go with that philosophy," he says. The pizzas were delicious and each took less than five minutes to cook in the pre-heated oven. The oven has two roofs - one to keep the heat in and one to keep the rain out - so weather is never a problem.It infuses a wonderful woody flavour into food and, says Newmes, it also creates a great atmosphere for entertaining. The couple often invite friends and family to come over, bring a dish and sit in front of the warm oven while the food cooks."We invite friends of all backgrounds around and everyone creates a different dish to cook in the oven - so we all learn some new recipes and have a really fun day," he says.Newmes did a lot of research before buying the oven, eventually settling on South Coast supplier Alex Bonetti of Verona Ovens in Quaama near Bega. He chose one of the larger domestic ovens, which is around 1m deep and can hold numerous pizzas or other dishes at one time.Bonetti, of Swiss Italian heritage, established the business in 1992 and has since sold commercial and domestic ovens around Australia and overseas. He says demand, particularly for ovens for domestic use, has increased greatly in the last five years."I think people are looking for something a bit different," Bonetti says. "In a pizza oven, you can cook a lot of items at one time so it's great for entertaining and for parties. And cooking time is quick - it only takes five minutes to cook a pizza - plus the taste is much nicer. Then when you've finished cooking you can use the oven as an open fireplace."Verona Ovens stocks a wide range of quality wood-fired ovens made in Australia with three domestic models available ranging in price from $1890 to $3490. Accessories such as a thermometer and ash rake and pan are also available."My ovens are top of the range - they will last you a lifetime. They are made in Australia out of high grade refractory materials that can handle temperatures up to 1250 degrees (fahrenheit)," Bonetti says. "The smallest one fits three pizzas, the next size up fits six pizzas and the Verona Entertainer fits 25 loaves of bread."Verona Ovens use the most technologically advanced insulation which guarantees a consistent heat throughout the entire oven. They are easy to operate and economical in wood consumption."Verona's pizza oven kit includes the oven vault sections, smoke outlet, thermal bricks, floor tiles, frame with damper, door, heat storage mass, insulation blanket, fire cement and instruction plan.The ovens are easy to install, Bonetti says. The homeowner just needs to build a base to sit the oven on - from brick or a concrete slab - and they can then install the oven using the instructions provided. Two people are needed to lift the different sections into place.Dixonline Classic Fireplaces at Albion Park Rail has also stocked quality pizza ovens for 10 years. The business has a range of Australian manufactured stainless steel pizza ovens as well as pre-fabricated brick or clay ovens imported from Italy. Prices range from $1395 to $3500.Manager Shaun O'Donnell says he has also noticed an increase in demand for domestic ovens over the last few years."Because of the cost of living more and more people are choosing to entertain at home, so are choosing to outlay money on items like barbecues, pizza ovens, outdoor kitchens and outdoor furniture," he says."People like the taste of food cooked in a wood-fired oven. Use good dry Australian hardwood, such as ironbark timber, and the flavours from the wood go right through the pizza, meat or whatever you're cooking."O'Donnell says his clients can install their own ovens using the instructional guide and DVD provided, or they can use the business' installation service."Our employees have builders licences so can help with all aspects of design and constructions," he says. "This ensures ovens conform with Australian building standards and that safety is the first priority."O'Donnell says it can take three to five days to install a pizza oven, complete with the flue, which can equate to labour costs of around $1000-2000.
© 2008 Illawarra Mercury