Easter Feasting with a Valoriani Wood-Fired Pizza Oven

A Valoriani wood-fired pizza oven doesn’t just exist so that you can rustle up perfect wood-fired gourmet pizzas at home - it’s also a versatile tool in which to cook a full Easter feast.

This Easter, why not go beyond the usual, and use your Valoriani wood-fired pizza oven to prepare a menu full of rustic, flavoursome delights? Here are some fantastic dishes to consider, if you wish to infuse your Easter menu with a delicious smoky depth.

Easter Lamb Pizza

A nod to Easter tradition, this pizza combines slow-cooked lamb with fresh Mediterranean flavours.

Ingredients:

• 250g pizza dough
• 100g cooked lamb (preferably wood-fired, shredded or sliced)
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce
• 100g mozzarella
• 1 tsp rosemary, chopped
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• 6-8 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 50g crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Fresh rocket leaves (for garnish)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat your wood-fired oven to around 400°C (750°F).
2. Create your dough by following a pizza dough recipe, using 00 flour.
3. Create your pizza base by hand-stretching your dough and spread the tomato sauce evenly.
4. Add the mozzarella, then place the cooked lamb, red onion, and cherry tomatoes in an even pattern across the pizza top.
5. Sprinkle the base with rosemary and crumble the feta cheese across the surface.  Drizzle a little olive oil on top.
6. Place in your Valoriani wood-fired oven for about 90 seconds to 2 minutes, rotating halfway through.
7. Once you see leopard-style spots on the base, remove and garnish with fresh rocket.

Spring Vegetable & Ricotta Pizza

This is a fresh and vibrant pizza, which puts some of spring’s best vegetables centre stage.  It’s perfect for vegetarians but is also a lighter Easter option.

Ingredients:

• 250g pizza dough
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 100g ricotta cheese
• 50g mozzarella
• 1 small courgette, thinly sliced
• 6-8 asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into halves
• 50g peas (fresh or frozen, thawed)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat your wood-fired oven to around 400°C (750°F).
2. Stretch out the pizza dough and brush it with olive oil.
3. Place small spoon-sized pieces of ricotta across the base.
4. Add the mozzarella, courgette slices, asparagus, and peas.
5. Sprinkle with lemon zest, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper.
6. Place in the oven and cook for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, rotating halfway through.
7. Remove when golden and serve immediately.

Wood-Fired Herb-Crusted Leg of Lamb

Slow-roasting lamb in a wood-fired oven brings out the meat’s natural juices while allowing a stunning smoky crust to develop.

Ingredients:

• 1 leg of lamb (2kg)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat your Valoriani woodfired pizza oven to around 200°C (400°F).
2. Mix the garlic, rosemary, thyme, olive oil, mustard, salt, and pepper into a paste and rub over the lamb.
3. Place the lamb in a roasting tray and put it in the oven.
4. Roast for about 1.5-2 hours, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 55-60°C (130-140°F) for medium-rare.
5. Rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Wood-Roasted Whole Fish with Lemon & Herbs

Cooking fish in a wood-fired oven results in a perfect crispy skin and a delicate, flaky texture.

Ingredients:

• 1 whole sea bass or trout (cleaned and scaled)
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 tbsp fresh dill or parsley
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the Valoriani woodfired pizza oven to around 250°C (480°F).
2. Stuff the fish cavity with lemon slices, garlic, and herbs.
3. Drizzle the fish with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Place directly on a preheated baking tray or grill rack, such as the Valoriani Tuscan Grill.
5. Cook for 12-15 minutes, flipping once, until the skin is crisp and the flesh is opaque.
6. Serve with extra lemon wedges.

Smoky Wood-Roasted Vegetables

This dish is a mix of vibrant vegetables, which can be beautifully charred when cooked the wood-fired way and emerge from the oven packed with flavour.

Ingredients:

• 1 courgette, sliced
• 1 aubergine, cubed
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
• 200g cherry tomatoes
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the Valoriani wood-fired oven to around 220°C (430°F).
2. Toss all vegetables in olive oil, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper.
3. Spread them in a single layer on a roasting tray.
4. Place in the oven and roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender and slightly charred.
5. Serve hot as a side dish or with crusty bread.

Final Thoughts

Using a Valoriani wood-fired pizza oven for your Easter meal opens up a world of flavourful possibilities beyond just pizza. With succulent lamb, whole-roasted fish, and smoky vegetables, you can create an Easter feast to remember, all infused with that unmistakable wood-fired essence. So fire up your Valoriani oven, gather your family together, and enjoy a truly special Easter meal!

To chat to us about which oven is right for you, call us on 07743 847647.

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Editors notes

Orchard Ovens is the domestic and commercial pizza oven supplier in the UK of Valoriani, based in Reggello, Tuscany - the manufacturer of Italy's hugely respected Valoriani pizza ovens, known as the Maserati of pizza ovens and the kings of clay. These ovens are made from superb refractory clay - cotto clay - found in the family's quarry and unique, thanks to having just the right alumina. This allows Valoriani ovens to heat up quickly and retain heat superbly, bring huge advantages to homeowners, as well as restaurant owners, hotels, pubs, mobile caterers, pizzerias, takeaways and more.

Orchard Ovens supplies some of Britain's best-known restaurants and chefs, whilst it is also a specialist creator of outdoor kitchens and wood-fired oven builds for the rich and famous, as well as everyday homeowners wishing to add value to their home and enjoy an outdoor lifestyle to the full.