Fire Up Bonfire Night – Three Warming Recipes from a Valoriani Wood-fired Oven

Bonfire Night calls for food that warms you from the inside out. These are evenings on which to serve up steaming bowls of comfort food, earthy autumn flavours and dishes that can be brought to a table for everyone to dig into after an evening spent outdoors.

And whilst pizza might be the dish that’s top of mind when you think of a Valoriani wood-fired oven, the 5th of November presents perfect opportunities to explore just how versatile a Valoriani woodfired ‘pizza’ oven can be.

Pumpkin, squash, polenta, sage, rosemary and melting Italian cheese all seem made for cooking with a real flame and retained heat.  They also allow you to eat ‘in season’ at this time of year, adding an extra thrill to your culinary occasion.

Why Valoriani ovens triumph

A Valoriani woodfired oven is particularly suited to later-season cooking because its superb refractory materials fire up proficiently and, working with a never surpassed pizza oven design, retain heat better than other ovens.  This allows the Valoriani oven to operate despite the hindrance of cooler ambient air all around.

It means Bonfire Night could become an entire wood-fired cooking occasion, rather than simply an excuse to put a few pizzas in the oven.

Our suggestions cover three comforting dishes: a creamy wood-fired pumpkin and sage risotto; baked polenta with mushrooms, rosemary and bubbling cheese; and a rustic pumpkin, Italian sausage and ricotta tart.

Dish temperatures in the Valoriani wood-fired oven

These recipes don't require the ferocious temperatures associated with Neapolitan pizza.  Simply heat your Valoriani oven in the normal way, using suitable dry, fully seasoned or special kiln-dried, food-safe wood, and allow the dome and cooking floor to become thoroughly heated.

You need to get the oven up to around 180–220°C rather than the higher temperatures you would want to achieve for pizza, to tackle these three dish suggestions.

As the fire settles, move the embers to the side of the oven. The risotto benefits from a small live fire and gentle flame, whereas the tart and polenta are particularly good dishes for exploiting retained heat.

Remember that a wood-fired oven does not behave exactly like a conventional kitchen oven. Rotate dishes regularly, because the side nearest to the fire will cook more quickly.  Keep a watchful eye on the food, especially if you are fairly new to woodfired cookery and not quite sure about the time frames for cooking different dishes.

This engagement with the food and oven is all part of the pleasure of cooking with fire and living life the traditional Italian way, namely, with an authentic, first-class oven that’s made in Italy, by Italian artisans.

Wood-fired Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto

Serves 4–6

There is something wonderfully appropriate about bringing a large, bubbling pan of pumpkin risotto out of a wood-fired oven on Halloween or Bonfire Night. Roasting some of the pumpkin first adds another flavour dimension to the dish, whilst Parmesan, sage and butter provide the classic Italian finish.

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash, weighing approximately 1kg
• 350g Arborio or Carnaroli risotto rice
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1.2–1.5 litres hot vegetable or chicken stock
• 150ml dry white wine
• 50g butter
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 75g freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra to serve
• 10–12 fresh sage leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt
• Optional: 100g Taleggio or Gorgonzola for an even richer finish
• Pumpkin seeds, toasted, to serve

Wood-fired oven set-up

Aim for an oven temperature within your Valoriani woodfired oven of approximately 200–220°C, with the main fire pushed to one side. Use a heavy flameproof casserole, preferably cast iron, and keep the pan away from direct fierce flame.  Remember to prepare any cast iron cookware before cooking, so that you can seal it and prevent it from rusting.

Method

Peel and de-seed the butternut squash and cut around two-thirds of it into 2cm cubes. Cut the remainder into slightly larger pieces.

Toss the larger pieces in a little olive oil, salt and pepper and roast them in a cast-iron dish in the Valoriani wood oven for approximately 15–20 minutes, turning the food regularly in the mouth of the oven. You want to achieve a soft squash texture, with some caramelisation around the edges.  Then, mash the butternut squash roughly and put it to one side.

Place your casserole dish in the oven with the olive oil and half of the butter. Add the onion and cook gently until softened/translucent, moving the pan further away from the fire if it begins to colour too quickly. Add the garlic and chopped sage and cook these ingredients for a few minutes. 

Stir in the rice and return the pan to the oven for 1–2 minutes, stirring once, until the grains look slightly translucent around the edges.

Add the wine. Once it has largely evaporated, add the cubed raw butternut squash and enough hot stock to generously cover the rice.  Return the casserole dish to the oven.

Unlike cooking risotto via a traditional stove-top method, you don't need to stand over it continuously adding one ladle of stock at a time. Just check and stir it every 5 minutes, adding more hot stock as the rice absorbs it.  Rotate the casserole, so one side isn't exposed continually to the fire.

After approximately 20–25 minutes, the rice should be creamy but still retain a little bite.  Meanwhile, the butternut squash should be tender.

Stir through the roasted squash purée, remaining butter and Parmesan. Add Taleggio or Gorgonzola at this stage, if you are opting to include.

Taste and season the dish and decorate with crisp sage leaves, toasted pumpkin seeds and extra Parmesan.

Baked Polenta with Mushrooms, Rosemary and Cheese

Serves 6

Polenta is one of northern Italy's great comfort foods. For Bonfire Night, you can turn it into a bubbling oven-baked dish that is topped with mushrooms and plenty of cheese.

Ingredients

• 300g coarse or medium polenta
• 1.2 litres vegetable or chicken stock
• 50g butter
• 75g Parmesan, grated
• 150g Fontina, Taleggio or mozzarella
• 400g mixed mushrooms, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 small handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Wood-fired oven set-up

Allow the oven to settle to approximately 190–210°C. A small fire or bed of glowing embers can remain to the side, but avoid strong flames directly over the baking dish.

Method

Place the mushrooms in a cast iron pan with the olive oil, garlic and rosemary.

Cook in the Valoriani wood-fired oven for approximately 8–10 minutes, stirring and rotating the pan once or twice, until the mushrooms have softened and begun to colour. Remove and reserve.

Bring the stock to the boil in a large flameproof casserole. Gradually pour in the polenta, whisking constantly.

Cook according to the packet instructions, stirring regularly. Traditional polenta will require considerably longer than quick-cook polenta.

Once the texture of the polenta is thick and creamy, stir in the butter and Parmesan and season well.

Spoon half of the polenta into an oiled ovenproof dish. Scatter over half the mushrooms and half the Fontina, Taleggio or mozzarella.

Cover with the remaining polenta, followed by the remaining mushrooms and cheese.

Place this layered dish towards the centre/front of the Valoriani woodfired oven, rather than immediately beside the embers.

Bake for approximately 15–20 minutes, rotating the dish halfway through cooking.

It will be ready for serving when the cheese is melted, the edges are bubbling and the top has developed attractive golden patches.

Scatter with parsley and a little more Parmesan and then serve up, to the delight of all those who have gathered for your Bonfire Night extravaganza.

Wood-fired Pumpkin, Spicy Sausage & Ricotta Tart

Serves 6–8

Sweet roasted pumpkin and spicy Italian sausage are natural partners, particularly when cooked in the intense, enveloping heat of a traditional Tuscan Valoriani wood-fired oven. If you add creamy ricotta and a little fennel and chilli flakes, this becomes a substantial savoury tart that feels just right for a chilly Bonfire Night.

Ingredients

• 1 sheet all-butter puff pastry
• 500g peeled and deseeded pumpkin 
• 250g good-quality spicy Italian sausages
• 200g ricotta
• 40g Parmesan, finely grated
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• ½ tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
• ½ tsp dried chilli flakes, or to taste
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg, beaten, for glazing
• A handful of pumpkin seeds

Method

Cut the pumpkin into small wedges or approximately 2cm chunks. Toss with the olive oil, fennel seeds and a little black pepper.

Roast in the Valoriani ‘pizza’ oven at a temperature of around 200–220°C for 15–20 minutes, turning the pieces and rotating the dish as necessary. You want the pumpkin just tender, with a little wood-fired caramelisation around its edges rather than completely soft.

Remove the sausage meat from its skins and break it into rough, bite-sized pieces.

Place a cast-iron pan in the oven and cook the sausage meat with the red onion and garlic for around 6–8 minutes, stirring and rotating the pan regularly. The sausage should be browned and cooked through. Drain off any excess fat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.

Roasting the pumpkin and browning the sausage separately, before assembling the tart, allows both ingredients to pick up the character of wood-fired cooking while preventing excess moisture or sausage fat from making the pastry soggy.

Let the temperature fall a little, to between 180 and 200°C. Then push wood embers to one side and avoid a strong flame directly above the tart.

Mix the ricotta with the Parmesan, rosemary and half the chilli flakes.

Unroll the puff pastry onto a suitable baking tray and score a border approximately 2cm from the edge without cutting all the way through. Spread the ricotta mixture inside the border.

Arrange the roasted pumpkin over the ricotta, followed by the spicy sausage and red onion. Scatter over the remaining chilli flakes and pumpkin seeds. Brush the exposed pastry border with beaten egg.

If you have achieved an oven temperature of 180–200°C, place the tart in the oven and bake for approximately 20–30 minutes.

Rotate it every 7–10 minutes, particularly if one side is facing the embers. If the pastry is colouring too quickly, move the tart further away from the heat.

It will be ready to serve when the pastry has risen and become crisp and golden, the ricotta is hot and the sausage has developed deliciously browned edges.  At that point, you can serve it up hot, or allow it to cook a little to serve warm.  Either way, cut it into generous portions, to make it easy for guests. 

Your special autumnal culinary event with your Valoriani ‘pizza oven’

When the autumn nighttime air is cool, there is something rather special about gathering around an outdoor kitchen or wood oven and watching a casserole of butternut squash risotto, a golden tart, or a bubbling dish of polenta, emerge.  Pizza can definitely wait for another night, as this is seasonally relevant food at its best, adding to the sense of occasion and celebrating this special time of year.

Why not experiment yourself this year and do something different from everyone else.  With your Valoriani oven by your side, you have a seasonal ally that can really put your stamp on your outdoor entertaining.

For more information about our Orchard Ovens’ range of Valoriani ovens, head to www.orchardovens.co.uk for home ovens or to www.orchardovenscommercial.co.uk for restaurant woodfired ovens or an oven for your pizzeria.  Alternatively, 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.