Make authentic wood-fired pizza’s in your own home, quickly and easily. Even an Italian will agree! This oven was designed 1st and foremost to make the best pizza this side of Napoli, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t versatile. The bottom half of the oven used with the stainless grid is a handy portable braai, pop on the lid to turn it into a kette BBQ or a smoker.

The Earthfire portable ceramic oven has all the cooking characteristics of a conventional pizza oven, at less than half the cost. Warm-up time is only 30 min as opposed to at least two hours and it can maintain 350oC for hours with only one fire. This high temperature and the porous pizza plate is the secret behind our delicious authentic Italian style pizzas. If your favourite happens to be a thick based pizza with lots of juicy toppings, simply use less fuel to ensure a slightly lower cooking temperature.

A pizza is ready at least every six min literally before the previous one has been eaten. You can entertain groups of up to eight friends with ease: whet their appetite with super quick pita starters - try something different like blue cheese or Camembert and green fig. Everybody will get the chance to prepare their favourite, there will always be a slice to sample. If you don't like anchovies, wait only six minutes for the next pizza! 

Easy to follow instructions with photographs and an easy pizza base recipe is included with every oven. The instructions also has a tomato base recipe and lots of handy tips. (included below)

Anyone can make a great pizza!

1. Always use the oven on a fireproof base. For wooden or other heat sensitive surfaces, you will need a large ceramic or terracotta tile under the oven. Also lay out a tile next to the oven to receive the hot lid.

Slide the two stainless steel handles onto opposite sides of the pizza plate and insert the ashbowl into the stand.

2. Place the coal grate (clay disk with holes) in the oven bowl and lay a fire on the grate. Use the photograph as a guide to quantity, this amount of charcoal will keep you cooking for 2.5 hours and maintain a temperature of 300oC. For a higher temperature - 350-400oC - use more fuel. Good quality dry firewood can also be used. NEVER use resinous wood like pine for cooking.

3. Start the fire and wait a couple of minutes before putting the lid on. DO NOT put the pizza stone inside yet. Wait approximately thirty to forty minutes for the fire to burn down. Leave the damper fully open while the fire is burning. Leave the lid on to allow the oven to reach cooking temperature.

4. Distribute the coals evenly and put in the pizza stone. Put the lid back on and let the stone warm up for about 8min. With charcoal the fire does not smoke once it has burned to embers, you can bring the oven indoors for a cozy pizza party. Prepare the surface as explained in step 1.

5. Fresh pizza dough is slid directly onto the pizza stone using a pizza peel - egg lifters do NOT do the trick. Pre-cooked and frozen bases does not require a peel and must go on the grid (legs on the bottom). The stainless steel peel is an optional item and can be purchased from Earthfire, or you can get a commercial peel from a home or catering store.

6. Always cook pizza with the oven lid on. Fresh dough: Check the bottom after 1 to 3min - it should be browning nicely. Check again 1 to 2 min later: coin-sized darker brown patches means that the base is done, to cook the topping further place the grid on the stone and cook the pizza for not more than 2min. Pizzas are ready in at least  6min - the 1st pizza can sometimes take a bit longer. Frozen & Pre-cooked: Place the grid on the stone as shown. Cook the pizza on the grid for 5min.

As a general rule, a pizza is ready when the cheese is fully melted. During a long cooking session or with a particularly hot fire, the pizza bottom might start burning after a short time. Simply take out the pizza plate and leave it outside the oven for about 5 min to cool down.

• 1kg White Bread Flour

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1 teaspoons dry yeast

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 4 teaspoons olive oil

• 600ml warm water

Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl. Add the yeast and sugar to a cup of warm water, stir to dissolve. Make a hollow in the centre of the flour and add the olive oil and cup of water with yeast. Fold together with a wooden spoon and add water until you have a manageable dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead thoroughly. Coat the dough with a little olive oil and put into a bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place. Allow 20 to 30 minutes for the dough to double in size, gently deflate and allow to prove again. The dough can be used after 30 minutes, although it gives better results if allowed to prove twice.

Tomato Base

Fry one onion. Add one tin of stewed tomato or about 5 fresh tomatoes to the pan. Use herbs and garlic as desired. Add one tin of tomato puree. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer until thickened.

Pizza Making

Break off a bit of dough and form into a ball. Place on a floured surface and roll out. Brush the surface with olive oil and spread a little tomato base with the back of a spoon. When putting on the toppings, stop a little way from the edge to prevent the toppings running off onto the pizza stone. Sprinkle some herbs and drizzle with olive oil.

When working with fresh dough, the secret is to copiously flour all surfaces in contact with it to prevent sticking. Practice this in the privacy of a locked room as it is very embarrassing to find yourself unable to free the raw pizza from a worktop or the pizza shovel in the presence of guests. Check regularly that the pizza is still loose - lift the edges and flour if it isn’t.

Thin base pizzas cook faster and are generally tastier than thickies. Same goes for toppings: be sparing with the tomato base and don't overload the pizza - thick toppings can take very long to cook. Only add avo after cooking.

Pita starters are a great idea for a quick snack to keep ravenous guests at bay. Brandish the pita from behind a protective barricade like a table or kitchen counter. Best results will be achieved when using the recipe’s below:

• FRESH garlic (not out of a bucket): You will be amazed at the difference it makes. Finely chop the garlic and mix it into a small quantity of olive oil - this makes it easier to apply. Brush or spread over the top of the pita.

• Caramelised onion & Feta: Chop two onions and cook in butter and a bit of oil. Use medium heat and stir often until the onions are soft, sweet and golden brown. Brush the pita with olive oil, spread some of the onions and sprinkle with chunks of feta.

• Blue Cheese & Green Fig: Brush the pita with olive oil. Sprinkle chunks of preserved green fig and any type of blue cheese you prefer. This will also work with brie or camembert. Try adding some nuts, anything but peanuts.

• Easy seafood pizza: Use tinned mussels and shrimps for a quick and tasty seafood pizza. Combine with tomato base, FRESH garlic, raw chopped onion, feta and mozzarella.