The Wood-Fired Blog
A Few of My Pizza Oven Favorites
Oct 26, 2015A little more than a year has taught me a few things about pizza out of a Forno Bravo pizza oven. To name just a few: the woods and the flavor of smoke, the fire and how to trust in the dome-licking flames, the illusion of controlling the dough, yeast, humidity and time, and of course the toppings–spicy, sweet, tart, bold, creamy, sharp and all delicious. The most important lesson... Read More
Wood Fired Chicken Pesto Apricot Pizza
Sep 22, 2015Tart, creamy, sharp, savory, and sweet … just a few of my favorite things. Keeping with the spring and summer seasons, this recipe highlights the sweet ripeness of apricots combined with the tart creaminess of goat cheese. Add savory chicken meat and a sharp pop of homemade pesto, and you have a complete feast with just one pizza. Until next week, feast well. – Chef Bart Get all the flavors... Read More
Wood Fired Roasted Artichokes
Sep 08, 2015Eating local … I grew up a little more than 100 miles north of Castroville, California. Castroville sits just outside of Monterey and a mere 8 miles from Forno Bravo HQ. Since the 1920’s, Castroville and the Salinas Valley have been among the most productive agriculture regions of California. It can be said the area is known for its artichokes. An artichoke is the flower of the thistle plant, technically... Read More
Ultimate Wood Fired Appetizer Platter
Aug 17, 2015Contest Recipe submitted by Peter Rumbolo. Thanks Peter. Wood fired Rib eye steaks, mushrooms, asparagus and olives on a large platter. I cook this while my guest are outside with me to add to the allure of the oven and wood fired cooking. Read More
Prosciutto, Pesto, Radish & Romanesco Pie
Jul 06, 2015I am back to pizza making this week, inspired by lesser-used, non-traditional toppings. I am also breaking the golden rule of not overloading the pizza with toppings. Romanesco broccoli or simply Romanesco plays the starring role in this vegetable-driven prosciutto concoction. So what is Romanesco? Credit to the Community Table Website for the best description I’ve come across: “Romanesco appears to be part psychedelic broccoli, part alien life form.” Technically,... Read More
You Say Tomato…
Jun 02, 2015You say to-may-to, I say to-mah-to. Pizzeria Bianco in Phoenix is considered to be some of the best pizza in the country, and some would even argue it is the best. Among his many accolades, Executive Chef and Owner Chris Bianco is passionate for placing a significant emphasis on sourcing and using the highest quality ingredients. As such, he diligently works to ensure his flour, cheese, and tomatoes are the... Read More
Sesame Seed Chili Flatbread
Apr 19, 2015I was digging through recipes this week craving something spicy with a little crunch and a soft chew. Deep within the stacks of my handwritten, tattered pile of unfiled recipes, I uncovered a flatbread recipe I used 20 years ago in a Mediterranean restaurant I was running. Admittedly, we baked these off in a traditional oven for the sole reason of keeping up with demand. We served this bread as... Read More
Strawberry And Rhubarb Cobbler
Apr 05, 2015Early spring means strawberries and rhubarb! No better reason to break out the cast iron and build the perfect cobbler to cap off a perfect night of pizza. Rhubarb adds a wonderful tartness to any dish but it is typically prized in desserts to balance the sweetness of other fruits, thus creating a desired sweet and sour effect. Shout out to my grandma on this one; she loved rhubarb. Hope... Read More
Andouille Sausage And Pesto Pizza
Mar 30, 2015Andouille sausage originated in France and was brought to the US by German immigrants who settled in Louisiana. This smoked pork sausage is a staple of Creole cooking and makes a great topping for pizza. If making your own sausage sounds like too much, one of my favorite versions that is readily available is D’Artagnan’s Andouille-Cajun style sausage. The sausage adds an intense kick of smoke and spicy paprika that... Read More
