Become your neighborhood’s master pizza maker, and get the most enjoyment and use from your outdoor pizza oven, with this truly epic cookbook.

Outdoor pizza ovens bake up a crispy crust and deeply flavorful toppings in a matter of just a few minutes. That’s why millions of people all over the world are buying and using them. But if you are going to bake something that quickly, you need to have the perfect recipe before you bake: the super-fast cooking time leaves no room for error. Enter pizza-obsessed outdoor-oven wizard Jonathon Schuhrke, aka the Santa Barbara Baker, an official ambassador for the popular Ooni brand but also an expert on all the other makes and models of oven on the market.

With a background in the sciences, Jonathon is famous in the pizza-oven community for troubleshooting—and solving—common pizza-making challenges for outdoor-oven users: Why is the edge done but the center undone? Why did the toppings overcook and burn? What’s the ideal oven temperature for a perfectly baked pizza? You’ll get answers to all these questions and more in The Epic Outdoor Pizza Oven Cookbook.

Along with guidance that will show you how to get flawless results no matter what model of oven you have, you’ll find perfect-every-time recipes for the best pizzas—and calzones!—in the world. From new spins on classic pizza-parlor pies to incredibly satisfying modern artisan pizzas, learn to make delicious:

• New York Style White Pizza
• Fire-Roasted Meatball Pizza
• Roasted Broccoli and Pepperoni Pizza
• A Summer Peach Pizza
• Zucchini and Goat Cheese Pizza
• Chorizo and Chimichurri Pizza
• Pesto Pizza
• And many dozens more

Every outdoor-pizza-oven owner needs a copy of this definitive reference.

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Epic Veggie Pizza

All the best veggie toppings together on one pizza for the ultimate veggie slice. Your neighborhood pizza shop probably has a pizza like this. Loaded up with all the vegetable toppings in-house, a bit of a mess, but also delicious. This version cleans it up slightly to keep sogginess at bay but deliver a slice with all the flavours you expect from your go-to neighborhood-pizza-shop veggie pizza. Veggie-heavy pizzas are a challenge as vegetables typically contain large amounts of moisture that can result in a soggy pizza. Roasting the mushrooms and adding the ricotta post-bake help ensure you end up with a slice that holds up in your hand.

YIELD:

One 14-inch

(36-cm) to 16-inch (41-cm) pizza

2½ ounces (71 g) white button mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch (0.6-cm) thick

3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

¼ small red onion, thinly sliced (about ½ cup [80 g])

½ cup (125 g) fresh ricotta cheese

1 Modern Artisan or Classic American Pizza Dough ball (see below)

5 ounces (149 ml) All-Purpose Pizza Sauce (see p. 164)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

5 to 7 fresh basil leaves

2 ounces (56 g) low-moisture

whole-milk mozzarella cheese, thickly shredded

3 ounces (85 g) low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, thickly shredded

½ small red bell pepper, diced (about 11/2 tablespoons [14 g])

1 small mildly spicy green pepper (such as poblano or Anaheim), diced (about 1½ tablespoons [14 g])

2 tablespoons (27 g) pitted kalamata olives, sliced in half

2 artichoke hearts, quartered

All the best veggie toppings together on one pizza for the ultimate veggie slice. Your neighborhood pizza shop probably has a pizza like this. Loaded up with all the vegetable toppings in-house, a bit of a mess, but also delicious. This version cleans it up slightly to keep sogginess at bay but deliver a slice with all the flavors you expect from your go-to neighborhood-pizza-shop veggie pizza. Veggie-heavy pizzas are a challenge as vegetables typically contain large amounts of moisture that can result in a soggy pizza. Roasting the mushrooms and adding the ricotta post-bake help ensure you end up with a slice that holds up in your hand.

1. Heat your outdoor pizza oven for the Classic American Pizza Bake (see p. 36). After the oven is lit with a full flame, place the largest cast-iron pan your oven can fit directly under the flame and heat for about 5 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, toss the mushrooms with 1 teaspoon olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a few cranks of black pepper. Carefully remove the heated cast-iron pan from the pizza oven and add about 1 teaspoon olive oil. Then add the mushrooms and return the pan to the oven under medium-high heat. Let roast directly under the flame. Turn after about 2 minutes and continue roasting until the mushrooms have given up most of their moisture and are slightly browned, about 4 or 5 minutes total. Remove the mushrooms from the oven and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Let cool to room temperature. The roasted mushrooms can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
3. In a small bowl, toss the red onion with 1 teaspoon olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper and set aside.
4. Add the ricotta cheese to a medium-size bowl and whip with a whisk until smooth and very creamy. Sometimes a splash of cream or milk can help smoothen the ricotta if it feels too dense. Carefully transfer the whipped ricotta to a piping bag or sealable plastic bag. Keep chilled.
5. Once the outdoor pizza oven is fully heated, stretch the pizza dough using the Classic American Pizza stretching technique (see pp. 32–36). Because this pizza is absolutely loaded with toppings, I like to err on the side of a little thicker stretch for this pizza. Leaving room for the crust to rise, use a ladle or large spoon to apply the pizza sauce to the stretched pizza dough, working your way from the crust inward to the center. You want an even layer of sauce slicking the entire surface with no blank spots.
6. Top the sauce with the oregano, then the garlic. Tear half of the basil leaves directly onto the pizza. Then add the blend of mozzarella cheeses, distributing the blend evenly across the sauce. Add the mushrooms, red onion, red and green peppers, and olives. Place 1 artichoke heart in the center of the pizza and 1 each on what will be the finished cut slices.
7. Bake the pizza using the Classic American Pizza baking technique (see p. 36). With all the toppings, I lean toward a longer bake to ensure a fully set crispy bottom with slices that can be picked up. Look for deep browning on the bottom of the pizza. It shouldn’t sag when lifted with the turning peel. If it’s getting too dark, you can turn the oven down as low as it goes or off completely and let the crust brown and crisp using the residual heat. When the pizza is fully baked, carefully remove it from the oven and let rest on a wire rack for about a minute. Pipe the ricotta cheese onto the pizza in quarter-size swirls on what will be the finished cut slices and tear the remaining basil leaves directly onto the pizza. Slice on a parchment paper–lined baking sheet or pizza peel. Serve immediately.

 

Classic American Dough

440 grams filtered water, warm (about 100°F [38°C])

20 grams kosher salt

725 grams all-purpose flour (Recommended: King Arthur All-Purpose Flour. Substitute bread flour when using other brands)

2 grams instant dry yeast

10 grams extra-virgin olive oil

YIELD:

3 dough balls for three 14-inch (36-cm) to 16-inch (41-cm) pizzas

4 dough balls for four 12-inch (30-cm) to 14-inch (36-cm) pizzas

5 dough balls for five 10-inch (25-cm) to 12-inch (30-cm) pizzas or calzones

Perfect for New York–style pizza in your outdoor pizza oven, but still versatile enough to use for any recipe in the book. At around 60 percent hydration, this pizza dough is easy to work with and resists getting stuck to the pizza peel. It is easy to bake up crispy yet still remains light and foldable. This pizza dough can be stretched by hand or rolled out with a rolling pin. It bakes up golden brown and delicious, bringing the corner slice shop to your outdoor pizza oven.

This is the recipe I recommend for making calzones (scale the dough balls to 240 g for calzones).

1. Pour the filtered water into a large mixing bowl, add the salt, and stir to dissolve completely. Sprinkle the dry yeast onto the surface of the water and let the yeast absorb some of the water briefly, about 30 seconds to 1 minute, before stirring to dissolve completely. Add the olive oil and stir to distribute a bit. Add the flour.
2. Using your hands, incorporate the flour into the water by mixing and pinching the flour with your fingers. Work any dry bits of flour into the water, but do not knead the dough at this point. Cover the dough while you prepare your dough tray, bowls, or plates for the prepared dough balls by lightly greasing with olive oil and adding a light shake of all-purpose flour.
3. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead with your hands, folding the dough onto itself. Continue kneading until the dough is mostly smooth. If the dough feels extremely sticky and difficult to knead, sprinkle a small amount of flour on the dough and the work surface and fold into the dough.
4. Using a bench scraper, divide the dough into 3 equal portions for three 14-inch (36-cm) to 16-inch (41-cm) pizzas, 4 equal portions for four 12-inch (30-cm) to 14-inch (36-cm) pizzas, or 5 equal portions for five 10-inch (25-cm) to 12-inch (30-cm) pizzas or calzones. Form each portion into a tight dough ball by folding the edges of the dough into the center and repeating the process a few times until the top of the ball is smooth. You want to be careful to not tear the dough and destroy the forming gluten strands. Seal the bottom of the dough balls closed by tightly pinching the seam with your hand and fingers.
5. Place the dough balls seam side down in the prepared dough tray, bowls, or plates. Cover tightly and let ferment at room temperature (about 70°F [21°C]). If you plan to cold ferment (recommended method) the dough, transfer the dough balls to the refrigerator when you notice the initial signs of fermentation (dough is expanding, small bubbles forming, about 2 to 3 hours) and let cold ferment for about 24 hours or up to 4 days. I find days 2 to 3 to be ideal in terms of flavor and workability. Be sure to bring the dough balls to room temperature before using, about 1 to 3 hours. If you notice the dough starting to overproof (large bubbles forming, rapid expansion of the dough), return the dough to the refrigerator to cool down slightly before returning to room temperature before using. If using the dough the same day, let ferment at room temperature until fully proofed (typically 6 to 8 hours). The dough should be about double in size and look lively with very small bubbles visible on the surface of the dough. When you push in the dough gently, it should spring back to its original shape. If temperatures are warm, be careful to not overproof. If you see the signs of overfermentation (large bubbles), cool the dough in the refrigerator and return to room temperature before using. Note: Prepared dough balls can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

 

Modern Artisan Pizza Dough

695 grams all-purpose flour (Recommended: King Arthur All-Purpose Flour. Substitute bread flour when using other brands.)

25 grams whole-wheat flour

450 grams filtered water, warm (about 100°F [38°C])

20 grams kosher salt

2 grams instant dry yeast

10 grams extra-virgin olive oil

YIELD:

3 dough balls for three 14-inch (36-cm) to 16-inch (41-cm) pizzas

4 dough balls for four 12-inch (30-cm) to 14-inch (36-cm) pizzas

5 dough balls for five 10-inch (25-cm) to 12-inch (30-cm) pizzas or calzones

My go-to pizza dough for outdoor pizza ovens. The dough bakes up beautifully with enticing leopard spotting when baked at higher heat and golden brown caramelization at lower temperatures. It has the look and flavour of what you encounter at the best modern (and sometimes fancy) pizzerias. The higher hydration makes for an airy and light crumb, but the dough is sturdy enough to hold up even when topped with the most intense toppings. It’s a versatile pizza dough suitable for any pizza recipe in this book. Adding a small amount of whole-wheat flour adds a big boost of flavor without compromising the texture or workability of the dough. The dough is best after 48 hours of cold fermentation but can also be used the day of mixing. I keep it simple, making the pizza dough as a “direct dough” in one mix without the need for a mixer or any special tools.

1. Add the all-purpose flour and whole-wheat flour to a large mixing bowl. Using a wire whisk, mix thoroughly for about 1 minute and set aside.
2. Pour the filtered water into another large mixing bowl, add the salt, and stir to dissolve completely. Sprinkle the dry yeast over the surface of the water and let the yeast absorb some of the water briefly, about 30 seconds to 1 minute, before stirring to dissolve completely. Add the olive oil and stir to distribute a bit. Add the flour blend.
3. Using your hands, incorporate the flour into the water by mixing and pinching the flour with your fingers. Work any dry bits of flour into the water, but do not knead the dough at this point. Cover the dough while you prepare the tray, bowls, or plates for the prepared dough balls by lightly greasing them with olive oil and adding a light shake of all-purpose flour on top.
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead with your hands, folding the dough onto itself. Continue kneading until it’s mostly smooth. If the dough feels extremely sticky and difficult to knead, sprinkle a small amount of flour on the dough and the work surface and fold into the dough.
5. Using a bench scraper, divide the dough into 3 equal portions for three 14-inch (36-cm) to 16-inch (41-cm) pizzas, 4 dough balls for four 12-inch (30-cm) to 14-inch (36-cm) pizzas, or 5 dough balls for five 10-inch (25-cm) to 12-inch (30-cm) pizzas. Form each portion into a tight dough ball by folding the edges of the dough into the center, repeating the process a few times until the top of the ball is smooth. You want to be careful to not tear the dough and destroy the forming gluten strands. Seal the bottom of the dough balls closed by tightly pinching the seam with your fingers.
6. Place the dough balls seam side down in the prepared dough tray, bowls, or plates. Cover tightly and let ferment at room temperature (about 70°F [21°C]). If you plan to cold ferment (recommended method) the dough, transfer the dough balls to the refrigerator when you notice the initial signs of fermentation (dough is expanding, small bubbles forming, about 2 to 3 hours) and let cold ferment for about 24 hours or up to 4 days. I find days 2 to 3 to be ideal in terms of flavor and workability. Be sure to bring the dough balls to room temperature before using, about 2 to 3 hours. If you notice the dough starting to overproof (large bubbles forming, rapid expansion of the dough), return the dough to the refrigerator to cool down slightly before returning to room temperature before using. If using the dough on the same day, let ferment at room temperature until fully proofed (typically 6 to 8 hours at room temperature). The dough should be about double in size and look lively with very small bubbles visible on the surface of the dough. When you push in the dough gently, it should spring back to its original shape. If temperatures are warm, be careful to not overproof. If you see the signs of overfermentation (large bubbles), cool the dough in the refrigerator and return to room temperature before using.

ABOVE, FROM TOP Pizza dough, balled, and ready to cover for proofing.

Fully proofed pizza dough ball, uncovered, ready for stretching.

Note: Prepared dough balls can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Recipe reprinted with permission from Harvard Common Press.