Maddi Makes It: Ooni and Everything You Knead to Know

Hey there, lovely people! If you’ve been following me for a while, you already know about my borderline obsession with pizza. For those who are new here—well, let’s just say my love for pizza is monumental. So imagine my joy when we became the proud parents of an Ooni outdoor pizza oven! No clue what that is? Buckle up, because you’re in for a delicious ride.

Meet Ooni: The Oven That Stole My Heart

Ooni offers a variety of pizza ovens, and we got our hands on the Ooni Karu 12. What’s so great about it? Oh, where do I begin? For starters, it’s a multi-fuel wonder—you can use either gas or wood to fire up your pies. And guess what? It’s as portable as your favorite tote bag! We had it up and running in under 10 minutes. Yep, you read that right!

Get Prepped: Your Ooni Starter Kit

For our inaugural pizza-making session, we opted for wood-fired goodness. Here’s the quick and dirty list of what you’ll need:

• Ooni Karu 12 (duh!)
• Turning Peel
• Serving Board
• Pizza Cutter
• Charcoal
• Wood
• Firestarter
• Rolling Pin
• Semolina Flour

And because I love going the extra mile, I’ve got a few other essentials on my shopping list:

• Pizza Peel
• Infrared Temperature Gun
• Cart for Ooni

Grocery Grab: Assemble Your Ingredients

For the main event—the pizza itself—we invited friends to make their own personal-sized creations. Our Ooni oven has a 12″ capacity, so our pies were roughly 10″. Here’s what you’ll want to toss into your shopping cart:

• Dough: We snagged ours from a local pizzeria, Empire Slice.
• Sauce: Homemade, courtesy of an awesome recipe from the book “Pizza Czar!”
• Toppings:
  • Mozzarella, Romano, and Parmesan cheeses
  • Basil
  • Pepperoni
  • Sautéed Jalapeños

Let’s Get Cooking: Heating and Creating

1. Heat It Up: I loaded charcoal and a few wood pieces into Ooni’s burning container and let it rip. Pop in some natural firestarters, and you’re golden. Pro tip: an infrared temperature gun is super handy here. Aim for a fiery 750-850°F.
2. Roll That Dough: On a floured surface, start by giving your dough ball a light roll with the rolling pin. Then, hand-stretch it to your desired thickness.
3. Prep the Board: A layer of Semolina Flour on your serving board makes the transition into the oven a breeze. Trust me on this one.
4. Top It Off: Layer on your fave toppings, and you’re almost there!
5. Into the Oven: Slide your prepped pizza into the Ooni. After about 30 seconds, start turning it to ensure an even cook. Keep a sharp eye—things can get a bit too toasty near the fire!

Voilà! Your Pizza Masterpiece

All said and done, our first Ooni adventure was a smashing success! I can’t wait to take you along as we dive deeper into the world of artisan pizza-making.

Craving Pizza in Oklahoma City? Here’s Where to Go!

• The Hall’s Pizza Kitchen: Wood-fired pizza plus a salad and pimento cheese dip to die for.
• Empire Slice Pizza: Slices galore with a rotating menu and a lively atmosphere.
• Rendezvous Pizza: Choose from NY Style or Detroit Style; you won’t be disappointed.
• Saucee Sicilian: Once a fave food truck, now a brick-and-mortar slice of Italy in OKC.

So there you have it, my pizza-loving pals! Whether you’re whipping up your own artisan pie or exploring OKC’s pizzeria scene, may your life be as full of pizza as mine is. Until next time, keep those creative juices flowing!

Ciao for now!