Scott Deley - The Ooni Pizza Project

The Unofficial Guide to Making Next-Level Neapolitan, New York, Detroit and Tonda Romana Style Pizzas at Home

The author and publisher have provided this e-book to you for your personal use only. You may not make this e-book publicly available in any way. Copyright infringement is against the law. If you believe the copy of this e-book you are reading infringes on the authors copyright, please notify the publisher at: http://us.macmillanusa.com/piracy.

I dedicate this book to my late Grandmother Nana June, a true inspiration to me in so many ways, whose love and patience in spending so much time with me baking and cooking as a young child will be cherished forever.

Its fair to say that owning an Ooni pizza oven has completely changed my life! It feels like only yesterday when I came home from work and walked into my living room to unexpectedly find an Ooni Karu 12 sitting there proudly with a note from my father-in-law wishing me a happy birthday. Little did I know that in less than two years time, Id be an official Ooni brand ambassador, the first ever overseas guest on the Whats Good Dough? pizza podcast and be authoring my very own pizza book. These are just a few of the memorable things that have happened to me since opening that special gift. As I write this introduction, it really makes me sit back and realize what an incredible journey it has been. By reading this book, I would love you to feel inspired to start your very own pizza journey.

Pizza is more than just food. It brings people together, sparks conversations and above all else, it makes people happy. My pizza journey began in very tough times at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic when people werent allowed to see loved ones or mix households. This meant that I didnt get to hold my first pizza party until several months later. It was, however, well worth the wait. Seeing my friends and family all enjoying the pizzas I had made and watching them all scramble for the last slice was a moment Ill never forget. The lockdowns due to the pandemic brought widespread difficultly to everyone around the world in many different forms. I have so much to thank Ooni and pizza for, as using my Ooni pizza oven to make knockout pizzas in the comfort of my own home gave me an escape from the awful things happening around me during that time. It has become a healthy obsession, one which I have put in a lot of time and effort to try and master. Whether Im thinking up new and exciting topping combinations or calculating how much yeast my dough requires, its always on my mind. Very often, it will be the first thing I think of in the morning and the last thing at night.

One thing I realized while writing this book, and one of the many reasons I love pizza so much, is that every recipe has its own story. Inspiration for recipes and topping combinations can come from the most unusual and unexpected places. Throughout this book, you will be able to read where my inspirations have come from, many of which were from fond childhood memories.

In this book, you will also find a variety of my master dough recipes, a large selection of my favorite tried-and-tested pizza recipes (containing lots of mouth-watering flavors), as well as lots of useful information, tips and tricks on how to use and get the very best out of your Ooni pizza oven. A pizza made in an Ooni pizza oven is unique (a Neapolitan pizza takes only 60 to 90 seconds to cook) and like nothing I have tasted before, so I strive to help as many people as possible to also be able to experience this. Whether you are cooking for a crowd or just yourself, my step-by-step instructions are uncomplicated and will make it easy for you to make your own show-stopping pizzas in the comfort of your home.

The key to success is learning from the mistakes we make. So, if you make a mistake along the way, dont be disheartened. Just dust off the flour and go again. Without making mistakes I certainly wouldnt be where I am today. Im a big believer in there being no right or wrong way when it comes to making dough and pizza just a lot of different ways.

While I consider this book to be ideal if you are new to pizza making, I also believe that the more experienced pizza makers can learn a lot from it too. So whether youve made zero or thousands of pizzas, I can help you level up your pizza game! Im incredibly excited to be able to share my recipes and the knowledge I have gained with you. I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Its time to throw away those takeaway pizza menus and start your very own pizza journey!

So, youve purchased your very own Ooni pizza oven! I know what youre thinking: Now what do I do? Dont worry, Ive got you covered with everything (and I mean everything) you will need to know in your quest to making perfect pizzas at home. There are so many parts of the pizza-making process that give me a sense of immense satisfaction and joy, from seeing my beautifully smooth dough come together to when I pull a stunning homemade pizza out of the mouth of my oven. In my opinion, this feeling is unrivaled, and although Ive made a huge number of pizzas since starting out, it is a feeling I look forward to every single time. One of my main goals is for you, my readers, to also experience this feeling.

In this chapter, I will give you my top tips for getting your Ooni pizza oven successfully fired up. Ill walk you through my list of essential pieces of equipment and accessories, as well as answer the most commonly asked questions I receive. After reading this chapter, I am extremely confident youll be comfortable operating your Ooni. In no time at all, youll be getting the same sense of satisfaction pulling your own pizzas out of your Ooni pizza oven.

Whether youre using a gas, wood/charcoal or hardwood pellet-powered Ooni pizza oven, you can be ready to cook in just 15 to 20 minutes. Gas-powered ovens are extremely convenient. Once lit, just turn the flame to maximum and youll be cooking before you know it. Always be sure to keep checking the flame is still lit during the heating-up stage.

While they can be a bit more involved due to managing the flames, wood/charcoal or pellet-powered ovens are a lot of fun! Beautiful, flowing flames in the back of your oven really is an incredible sight and its extremely satisfying knowing you created them. To help get your flames roaring in your wood/charcoal or pellet oven, here are some of my top tips for you to follow:

• Make sure your chimney vent is open and chimney cap removed. If your Ooni pizza oven has a ceiling vent, open this fully too. This enables maximum airflow through your Ooni pizza oven, which in turn, will create larger, more powerful flames.