Pizza night has become a bit of a tradition around here. It usually starts with someone saying, "Let's just order takeout," and ends with us firing up the pizza oven sitting in our patio instead.
Somewhere between stretching the dough, sneaking a bite of fresh mozzarella, and debating whether pineapple belongs on pizza, everyone somehow ends up gathered around the oven. A few minutes later, out comes a pizza with a crispy golden crust, bubbling cheese, and just the right amount of char. Suddenly, nobody's talking anymore because they're too busy reaching for the first slice.
Think of this as your personal pizza night invitation. Follow along with the video below as we make one of our favorite homemade pizzas in the ItaliaForno Famiglia Gas Pizza Oven. Whether it's your first pizza or your fiftieth, we'll share a few tips to help you make it a great one! 🍕
Every Great Pizza Starts with the Right Oven
They say the secret to a great pizza is the recipe. We'd argue it's the oven.
The first thing we noticed with the ItaliaForno Famiglia was how quickly it got hot. Once the pizza went in, it only took a few seconds before the crust started puffing and the cheese melting, and those little charred spots began to appear around the edges. That's when we knew this wasn't going to taste like takeout.
Meet the ItaliaForno Famiglia Gas Pizza Oven
If you're wondering what we're cooking on throughout this video, this is the ItaliaForno Famiglia Gas Pizza Oven. It's a compact, propane-powered oven that's great for more than just pizza, but today we're giving it a proper pizza test.
The Famiglia can fit two pizzas at once, which comes in really handy when you're cooking for a group instead of making just one for yourself. And once pizza night is over, there's plenty more you can cook in it! From roasted dishes to other favorites, the Famiglia gives you plenty of room to experiment.
And the best part? It's 100% made in Italy, the birthplace of pizza. So there's a little Italian heritage behind every pizza we make.
Alright, enough teasing. Let's make a pizza!
Here's a Slice of Advice
Everyone has their own way of making pizza, and that's part of the fun. These are just a few things we've picked up that make the process easier and help us get consistently great results.
Start with a Little Flour
One of the first things we like to do is dust the pizza peel with flour before the dough even touches it. It might seem like a small detail, but it's one of the easiest ways to keep your pizza from sticking when it's time to launch it into the oven.
If you're just getting started and don't have the essentials yet, a good pizza peel and a few basic tools make the whole process a lot easier. Our Pizza Oven Tools Starter Kit will have everything you need to get cooking.
Once that's done, place your dough on the peel and you're ready for the fun part.
Don't Chase the Perfect Circle
One thing we've learned? Don't stress about making your pizza perfectly round. We usually stretch the dough by hand instead of using a rolling pin. Let gravity do some of the work and give it a few gentle flips. The more relaxed you are, the better the dough behaves.
Less Sauce Is More
When it comes to sauce, we like to keep it simple. Two or three spoonfuls are usually enough. Adding too much can make the center soggy.
Our personal favorite is the Bianco DiNapoli Crushed Tomatoes, but use whatever you enjoy. The goal is to let all the ingredients shine without overwhelming the crust.
Give Your Oven Time to Heat Up
While you're assembling your pizza, let the ItaliaForno Gas Pizza Oven fully preheat. We recommend giving it about 30 minutes so the cooking floor has enough time to absorb the heat. When the oven reaches around 700°F (400°C), it's ready to produce the crispy crust!
The Shimmy Test
Before you launch the pizza, always give the peel a little shimmy. If the dough moves freely, that's how we know we're ready to go. If it doesn't, we'll gently lift an edge and add a little more flour underneath. It's a quick little test, but it can save you from that awkward moment when your pizza decides it would rather stay on the peel than go into the oven.
Keep Your Eyes on the Pizza
Once the pizza is in, this is definitely not the time to walk away and start doing the dishes. At around 700°F, the Famiglia cooks pizza fast, so we like to keep a close eye on it. After about 45 seconds, give the pizza a turn so the other side facing the flame gets a chance to cook evenly. You'll see the difference right away. The crust starts to color up and the smell will make you hungry.
Look at That Pizza!
And that's it! Once the crust is golden, the cheese is bubbling, and the pepperoni has those crispy edges, it's time to pull it out. Like... look at that! That's a perfectly cooked pizza if you ask us.
A Few Final Thoughts
Making your first pizza at home doesn't have to be complicated. Once you get comfortable with the dough, figure out how your oven cooks, and find the toppings you love, it starts to feel pretty easy.
And don't worry if your first pizza isn't perfect. Ours certainly weren't. That's all part of the fun. Try different toppings, experiment with your dough, and don't be afraid to make a few mistakes along the way. You'll probably eat them anyway.
If you're ready to give it a try, the ItaliaForno Famiglia Gas Pizza Oven is the oven we used throughout the video. But if the Famiglia isn't quite the right fit for your space, no worries. Browse our ItaliaForno collection to find a model that works better for your setup!
