Brick Oven Italian

We have used traditional brick ovens for bread making but they require a huge amount of wood (what we would normally burn all week to keep our house warm). Someone has to cut, split, and stack the wood… and that would be me. So, having an efficient oven is good! Our Cupola oven uses a minimal amount of wood (about six pieces) and takes a short amount of time to bring the oven up to cooking heat. It holds heat overnight and it is usually around 300 degrees the following morning. Perfect for overnight slow cooking of dinner for the next day. All that adds up to a great oven that fits our needs.

We have been making a lot of naturally leavened bread which is better if the oven holds steam. This one does. The dome shape and low roof help keep the heat and steam close to the bread. We can cook three or four loaves at a time. The temperature holds for about three bakes if you add a small amount of embers around the edges. We have also done pizza, various types of meat and chicken, potatoes, desserts, and vegetables. Let’s not mention the carbonized lamb shanks.