Saturday night was the perfect kick-off to the bonfire season with A Wood-Fired Meal In The Country. The weather was beautiful and friends Dave and Sue set the stage for an Italian bon voyage party for friends heading overseas. I was thrilled to be a part of it and of course had to get some bread in that outdoor oven.
Masonry At It’s Best
Dave and Sue own a Brick and Masonry company, so the oven you see is par excellence. Dave, of course, built it and it’s massive! It’s also fairly new, and Dave has it mastered. Everything from regulating temperature to the placement of the fire, he maneuvered the food in and out of the oven like he’s been doing it for years. Everything was cooked to perfection!
Wood-Fired Ciabatta Bread
To say I was thrilled to be baking bread in an outdoor oven is an understatement. In my search for outdoor pizza ideas and recipes, I stumbled upon a recipe for a wood-fired ciabatta bread. I had never made ciabatta bread, so I gave it a try. Ciabatta bread is an Italian white bread very similar to the French baguette. In fact, it was developed to be an Italian version of the baguette. It has lots of air holes and a crisp crust. The dough was in my mixer for 20 minutes. That’s a long time! You can make it into loaves or rolls, and I opted for rolls. We pulled the warm rolls apart and dipped in oil and cheese. YUM!
The Bread Stone Ovens Company is the site with the recipe, and the recipe is Simple Wood-Fired Ciabatta Bread Recipe.
Two Types of Bread and Oil
I came prepared with my homemade bread just in case the ciabatta did not work. All was good. We dipped bread in an Italian infused olive oil with cheese on top and then a plain olive oil with an Italian seasoning and cheese.
A Wood-Fired Meal In The Country
The night was all about the pizza. Sue, wanted to keep the evening simple and did not see the need for me to make homemade pizza dough. In fact, Sue and Dave found a flatbread that is ideal for their outdoor oven. The Brand is Stonefire Flatbreads, and the bread is Naan, which is a leavened flatbread that originated in South and Central Asia. You can find them in your local grocery stores.
A Pizza Bar
As you can see, we had everything from anchovies to raw eggs to top the pizzas. Everyone had a naan to decorate, and it was fun to see the combinations. Sue bought pizza sauce from The Hill (Italian neighborhood in St. Louis), and it was delicious!
My pizza had the egg. It was delicious!
I think I Need A Wood-Fired Oven
What do you think? Does it make you want to sit outside and cook? The following day, Sue and Dave were going to make a roast in the oven. The bricks hold the heat, and with a little stoking, you’re ready to go with your next meal. FUN
Do you have a wood-fired oven? If so, what’s your favorite thing to make? Please consider leaving a message in the comment section below.
A big Thank You to Dave and Sue for hosting a fun evening in the country! To our friends heading out on their trip, have fun and drink lots of wine!
Thanks for stopping by, Rose
Dave and I enjoyed every moment and detail of hosting our Wood-Fired Meal In The Country. Of course, Rose made it extra special by making her home-made ciabatta rolls and infused olive oil dipping sauces. Excuse me but back up bread (seriously back up bread) as if there was a doubt her ciabatta rolls wouldn’t be a success. But hey…I never pass up Rose’s usual delicious bread and she blessed us with extra loaves that I froze for a soup night as we enter this glorious season of Fall. The ciabatta rolls were perfecto….and the company magnifico.
Sue- Thanks so much for your hospitality and great company. You have a beautiful home and the perfect setting for a wood-fired meal in the country!! Thanks for taking the time to comment. Rose