The Wood-Fired Blog
Eid Bread (aka Wooden Mold Bread)
Sep 06, 2018Thank you to home chef, Ahmad Zeabi, for sharing this special holiday bread recipe with us! In this recipe, we are traveling to the Middle East. Ahmad explains: In Horan (Daraa), in the far south of Syria, folks used to make this special bread in the Fitr and Adha Eids; the biggest annual celebrations in the local culture, hence the name. Families would customize their wooden molds. Originally, they looked at... Read More
Bravo Mexican Pizza
Aug 01, 2018Community contributor, Maria O’Donnell, shares her recipe for a Wood Fired Mexican Pizza that is a crowd favorite at her house! Perfect for summer parties. This pizza features salty pancetta, mild shrimp, and hearty black beans as a base, then layers on four kinds cheese for richnesses. Finally, it ties the flavors together with crisp lettuce, smooth lime crema, and jalapenos and hot sauce for some spice. Try this dish... Read More
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
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
Drink a beer; get inspired.
Jun 07, 2015Last week my business travels took me to Boston. I was very fortunate to be on the receiving end of a private tour of the Harpoon Brewery. Harpoon is a working brewery that also has a large bar that you can visit and order up the breweries latest suds. To accompany your beer, they serve soft pretzels that are made to order. The pretzels have a wonderful fermented flavor, and... Read More
Tuscan Bread
May 26, 2015This Tuscan style bread is made with a straight mix method. No need to activate the yeast or make a sponge prior to making this bread. Once baked, the loaf has a deep golden brown crust that softens as it rests and a chewy, moderately dense texture. I personally love using this bread for bruschetta or for my toast the morning after baking. The recipe is adapted from the King... 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
Rosemary Focaccia
Mar 19, 2015I’ve been craving last week’s sweet anise rolls since posting it on the community cookbook. I decided to take the craving as inspiration and turn it into a soft chewy herb laden focaccia. If you are not a fan of rosemary feel free to substitute your favorite herb or olives or even spike it up with a hit of chili flakes. Until next week, feast well! -Chef Bart Read More
Sweet Anise Bread
Mar 09, 2015While my Forno Bravo oven hibernated in its snowy winter jacket this week, my business travel took me to Peru. I had the pleasure of working with a group of chefs from around the Caribbean, Central and South American markets. One of our days was spent exploring local ingredients, artisan producers and the cultural influences that have made Peruvian food a global force. We stopped at chef Eduardo Navarro’s Chaxras... Read More
