What is the thing that makes everyone happier?

Pizza!

It does not depend on the type of dough you choose to use nor on how you decide to season it, this food drives everyone crazy, first of all Queen Margherita, the one to whom the famous mix of ingredients was dedicated.It is therefore natural to wonder how such a simple food has managed to resist over time and still be so appreciated, like the first time someone has bitten into its dough.

The quality of this product is certainly measured both by the ingredients of its dough, but also by the way it is cooked. Each pizzeria relies on different machinery to complete its work, the ovens, for example, must be chosen with care in order to make the most of the dough, make it soft and fragrant, as well as spread that unmistakable scent of freshly baked pizza.

The dream of every pizza chef is to make their customers happy and see them delighted while they taste their pizza. Precisely for this reason, commercial pizza ovens must reflect some fundamental characteristics in order to enhance your dough and make your business more competitive.

The prerequisites for a good pizza: the ingredients

The first concept to consider is that an excellent oven is not enough to make a good pizza, but a soft and pleasant dough is also necessary: ​​at that point the machine can only optimize the composition through the magic of heat. Although this food seems easy to create, making a pizza that makes the taste buds dance is more complicated than it seems. The ingredients that are used must be up to par, in order to accompany proper cooking.

First let’s see which ingredients can be used, how to dose them and what precautions will make the dough for a classic pizza better. The main ingredients, listed in respect of their importance in terms of quantity and functionality, are:

• Flour
• Waterfall
• Yeast
• Salt
• Oil

Let’s now see how to choose the right raw materials and calculate the right quantities so as to avoid excessive leavening of the dough, which would create a series of problems, primarily in the context of handling and consequently with unpleasant variations in cooking.

Flour

For a professional pizza dough, the flour to be used is certainly the long leavening one.

To base the choice, certain precautions are also necessary on the technical characteristics, that is: the flours available to us, or allowed and recognized by the Italian legislation for trade for human consumption, are of the type: “00 – 0 – 1 – 2 – integral”. The difference between these 5 types lies in the organic characteristics called “ashes”, which are retained or excluded in the refining process in the mill. The most used to make pizza dough is still the “00” type flour.

At the end of the 80s in Italy there were about 13,000 milling activities (mills), in 2017 about 280 were registered. The globalization of purchases, the strict health and hygiene rules and the lack of generational changes, have practically nullified the direct relationship between the baker -mill. Of this remaining reality, about 40 have adapted and understood the real market that was developing.

The professional figures: pastry chef, baker and pizza chef still find flours that are calibrated for each type of processing that you want to carry out. We can easily do our job without going into the context of flour blends, a reality that is often empirical even for the millers themselves.

Let’s focus now on the pizza.

When we talk about long leavening doughs, we mean a dough that has, (from the moment the water comes into contact with the flour in the mixer until the moment we put the pizza in the oven) at least 36 hours of leavening / maturation. The abbreviations used in Italy by operators to recognize the identity and correct suitability of a flour for its intended use are the “W” and “P / L”. These values ​​are detected by means of a machine (present in the “40 mills” laboratories) which is called Chopin’s Alveograph. Chopin’s Alveograph detects the strength, extensibility and toughness of a dough.

The ideal flour for making a long leavening pizza dough “at least 36 hours” is W320 and a P / L 0.5.

The water

First of all, the water to be used in a professional pizza dough must be clear, colorless, odorless, in the absence of chlorine, moderately hard from 10 ° to 20 ° French and with a pH of 6/7.

Let’s focus on chlorine. As is well known, it is periodically inserted at the origin of the “aqueduct” water distribution point. The use of chlorine guarantees a water purification action by systematically destroying all the bacteria present.

The use of water taken directly from the tap to package the dough can therefore turn into a serious problem: the yeast used for baking is saccharomyces cerevisiae, commonly called brewer’s yeast. Yeast is a microorganism, which we can define as “good”. Unfortunately, chlorine makes no distinctions and therefore already when it comes into contact in the mixer tank, alas, a good part of it is destroyed.

The best way to meet this problem is to fill a canister with water and put it in the fridge +2/4° without a cap. The chlorine will naturally evaporate. With this action we will also have another benefit, the water temperature will be suitable for the packaging of the long leavening dough, that is, it will allow us to control the rapid reproduction of yeasts. This rapid reproduction must necessarily be slowed down to allow maturation to take place regularly.

The yeast

As we said above, the yeast that concerns breadmaking in general is saccharomyces cerevisiae, commonly recognized as Brewer’s Yeast. We have mentioned yeast in different contexts when discussing water and we can reiterate that yeast being a microorganism has different needs that must be respected to keep it alive.

First of all, we underline the fact that there are 2 types of brewer’s yeast on the market, although they are always the same strain, namely:

• Fresh brewer’s yeast (containing about 76% moisture) is recognizable as fresh from the ivory color, contrary to the gray color which will be an indication of deterioration
• Dry brewer’s yeast (containing 6/7% moisture).

Consequently, the conservation and the duration will be different: if kept at 0° centigrade the fresh “500 gr block” will have a duration, at the heart of the block, of about 9 weeks. The dry yeast has a shelf life of about 1 year kept in an airtight container, protected from light and heat sources (can be stored at room temperature).

Another difference lies in the amount of use, that is, 5 grams of fresh yeast in the ratio is equivalent to about 2.2 grams of dry yeast. The amount of yeast to add must always be calculated based on the programming of the dough, consequently to the type of flour and not least to the general climatic conditions.

Absolutely to know: once we have finished the dough, we need to check its temperature. It is essential that it does not exceed 24 °. This will allow us to safeguard the correct (and slow) programmed leavening.

On the yeast, however, they really feel all colors! The most striking urban legend is certainly “I ate a pizza that rises in my stomach!” there is nothing more absurd. The pizza cooks by excluding humidity, the temperature passes through the structure that we have baked until it reaches the heart. We can declare that the pizza is cooked when the core temperature has reached 100°.

The yeast being a microorganism, therefore a living being, enters the irreversible phase of death at 45 °. We can safely declare that the yeasts, once cooked, are inexorably dead.

Salt

There are various types of salt for human consumption. Surely the most suitable for packaging pizza dough is iodized sea salt. The recommended amount varies between 1.8% to 2.2% to be adjusted according to the hydrating power of the flour, that is, the higher the moisturizing power, the higher the percentage of salt.

The oil

Lipids are essential for pizza dough. The main reason is dictated by the fact that in the grain grinding-refining process, the only part containing fat is the germ. Originally this part (when it is still a grain) has a value of 1%, so when it is transformed into flour, only a few traces remain. The oil in the mixture has a lubricating and emulsifying effect and not least waterproofing. These consequences result in an excellent guarantee for safeguarding the anticipated natural evaporation during the leavening-maturation phase, therefore the stability of the product. Its waterproofing power takes effect in the firing process, creating a sort of homogeneous moisture retention.

The seasoning

If we were to explain, “to those few who still don’t know pizza”, in other words what it is, there would be no better description than: “disc of pasta useful for cooking other ingredients”.

Using this definition opens up a gastronomic world, however governed by some principles:

• Respect for the identity of each ingredient
• Correct transformation into form or pre-cooking
• Respect for the correct combination
• Adequate quantity and distribution on the disc
• Seasonal and colorful conviviality.

The two ingredients present in almost all the pizzas are tomato and mozzarella, a basic composition famous all over the world with the name of Pizza Margherita.

Tomato

On the market we have the possibility to choose between 4 different types of tomatoes:

• Fresh tomato
• Peeled tomato
• Tomato pulp
• Tomato puree

Among the 4 types, tomato pulp, specifically “fine”, is absolutely the most suitable. Its structure allows us to have an excellent result in the chewing phase and the customer will perfectly perceive the presence of the tomato. It will also allow the mozzarella to bind in some places with the dough disc.

The preparation of the tomato pulp requires only and exclusively the seasoning of salt; the recommended quantity is 9-10 grams per kg, if the density of the pulp is too rigid, we lengthen it by noting the amount of water inserted, this will allow us to make the right consideration of the amount of salt needed.

When dressing tomatoes, it is better to avoid sugar and spices; the reasons are the following: if you have to add sugar to cover a bit acidity and better to change tomatoes, a sour tomato is not a quality product. As for spices, it is known that spices become bitter during cooking, in addition to the fact that some customers may not like or even be intolerant.

The correct quantity of tomato useful for the filling of a classic pizza, with a diameter of about 33 centimetres, is equal to about one hundred grams.

Mozzarella

Without a doubt, the most suitable mozzarella for classic pizza is fior di latte. Over the last few decades, the dairies have developed excellent products that have already been transformed into cubes or julienne strips, which are very effective for immediate use. The shape, already chopped, allows to cover the dough disc evenly. The correct quantity of mozzarella necessary for the filling of a classic pizza is 100 gr. This weight can be ideal for the homogeneous covering of a margherita pizza but it can also drop to 80 g for pizzas with other toppings, such as capricciosa, ham and mushrooms, etc …

Mozzarella is certainly the product that has the greatest weight in the income statement of a pizzeria. I take this opportunity to emphasize how important the choice of a quality product is: each product can in fact be cataloged by quality on the basis of well-defined organic values ​​and awards. We are wary of mozzarella which in the list of ingredients shows these terms:

• Acidity regulator
• Curd
• Waterfall
• Citric Acid or Potassium Sorbate

A quality mozzarella is identified as:

• Fresh cheese
• Created with Milk
• Rennet & Salt
• Lactic ferments (… sometimes)

The analysis that we are going to carry out should be the abc of the restaurateur. In this case we will do it with mozzarella but, adopted to check other products, it can be very useful.

Quality mozzarella has a characteristic that a non-quality product does not have. The quality mozzarella is emollient. Its structure when it receives heat starts with homogeneity on the disc of dough, this process takes place with great moderation using a poor quality mozzarella.

Let’s take a practical example: we recognized that 80 grams of quality mozzarella are needed to fill a pizza. On average there are 120 gr with a non-quality mozzarella. Let’s assume that the purchase of quality mozzarella is € 5.80 and that of the non-quality product is € 4.50. Considering that the average monthly production of a pizzeria, and about 4,000 pizzas, we can note that: the pizzeria that will use a quality mozzarella will need 3,200 kg purchased at € 5.80 x 3,200 kg = € 18,560.00 unlike the pizzeria that uses a lower quality product yes at a lower cost, but with the need of 120 gr per pizza in order to guarantee the adequate filling, therefore: 4,800 kg purchased at € 4.50 x 4,800 kg = € 21,600, 00.

So we can define that: a product purchased “apparently” at an affordable price, not only does not have the quality levels necessary to guarantee us a safeguard of our work, but also makes us spend an extra € 3,040.00.

The last step before the oven

To ensure that the pizza has an excellent cooking, it is also necessary to evaluate the drafting of the dough before it is baked.

A standard weight compared to a single diameter will guarantee a homogeneous and simultaneous cooking of the baked pizzas. The disc needs to be “respected” as much as possible, because the structure that was made up during the leavening-maturation period is already perfect in itself.

Let’s try for a moment to analyze the various drafting methods, starting from the mechanical ones.

• We have the worst drafting result using the hot machines called pizza press, we can define it the worst as the structure of the dough is violently denatured, also creating a sort of burn on the two sides, (obstacle for tying the tomato and mozzarella ) and natural evaporation through the pores, moreover, there is no need to expect the creation of the edge / cornice during cooking
  
  
• Next we have the vertical laminator. This machine is made up of Teflon or steel rollers that rotate simultaneously one against the other, by passing the dough between them we can gradually reach the desired diameter. Being a machine that works at room temperature, we can recognize it as better than the previous one
  
  
• The rolling pin, an object present unfortunately, still in too many pizzerias. The pressure distributed in the rolling pin differs the structure of the dough, distributing it according to the direction and pressure that the operator gives it
  
  
• Drafting by hand, carried out with the hands by applying vertical pressure, someone not happy also gives him slaps. We obtain the best result by applying a completely horizontal hand spread, that is by widening the disc by interacting exclusively on the homogeneous distribution.

Choice of the type of oven

We first listed the characteristics of the dough and now let’s specify how to select the type of oven to use.

This order is not random, as based on the type of product to be cooked, the best performing oven can be chosen, so as to enhance the best features. Each oven has its strengths and weaknesses and for this reason it will give a more specific type of cooking.

The types of oven used for cooking pizza are:

• Electric
• Gas
• Wood fired

The physical process that takes place inside each specific oven has different characteristics, but with a single common denominator: heat. Let’s analyze in detail what these differences are.

Electric oven

The electric oven is known for being the simplest to use, but above all the most versatile. The propagation of heat occurs due to the productive effect of resistances present under the refractory cooking surface, this event is called “conduction” and by the resistances present in the upper part, which is identified as “radiation”.

In the electric oven the chamber is on average 17/19 cm high, this limited height creates the third event, the “convention”. The radiation for about 85% and the conduction for about 15% produce the convention.

Italforni high-end ovens have an extra gear.

The refractory surfaces, of considerable thickness, have internal slits where the “hi-pe” armored resistors are housed. Spiral heaters are now a thing of the past. As a matter of capillarity of heat, energy saving and easy maintenance, the new “pin” resistances really make the difference.

This type of oven has been specially designed for cooking various types of pizzas. The advantages concern:

• Guaranteed hygiene: as it is easy to keep clean, as there are no fuel residues
  
  
• The need for particular flues: for this type of ovens it is not necessary to install special flues, as the extraction system will have the exclusive function of bringing cooking smells outside. However, it remains undisputed that the rule dictated by the physical function of the flue must be absolutely guaranteed
  
  
• Homogeneous temperature: thanks to set and automated cooking programs, it is possible to control the diffusion of heat and make it homogeneous.

Thanks to digital panels with adjustable programs, it is possible to memorize different cooking programs as well as to constantly control the chamber temperatures. The cooking is regulated and made uniform by the refractory plates that are present inside. In this case, the staff who must manage the cooking of the pizza need not necessarily be specialized, due to the ease of use in setting the desired temperature. Obviously, this type of oven also has disadvantages in the case in which machinery is chosen that has been manufactured in an unprofessional way or to which little attention has been paid in the design.

The electric ovens also include tunnel ovens, suitable for pizzerias that have more of an entrepreneurial rather than artisanal format, that is, the “Italforni patent” stone tunnel oven finds its best location in production contexts where you don’t want to leave anything. to chance. Human error has been eliminated with the tunnel stone oven, and it is also an absolutely reliable machine in case you need to meet particular production needs.

Gas oven

The gas oven is apparently similar externally to the electric one, but obviously we enter the world of heat production by combustion. Gas ovens have a burner housed under the hob which creates conduction. Through the heat conveyors positioned in the lateral parts of the oven, the heat is transmitted upwards, which consequently creates radiation. Due to the very nature of the limited height of the room, we consequently have the agreement. Unlike the electric oven, the gas oven tends, even if minimally, to dry the product and in any case does not have the versatility of electric.

Despite the differences that occur during cooking, when the oven is turned on, the heat is pumped at maximum power, while once the desired degrees are reached, diffusion becomes the essential minimum, keeping the heat constant inside. As with the electric oven, the gas oven has a door that must be used quickly to put in / take out of the oven and immediately closed.

Wood fired oven

The wood-fired oven is the oldest of all, it has always been used in pizzerias, the material of which it is composed is refractory stone with the addition of a percentage of silicon that varies between 55 and 58% depending on the techniques of construction. The other very important aspect is the height of the internal dome which varies according to the diameter of the hob.

As the name suggests, the fuel used is wood. This, while being part of the combustion ovens, has a big difference compared to the gas oven. In the gas oven, the power supply is managed by the machine, unlike the wood oven which is subject to the experience of the pizza maker, the type of wood used, the climatic conditions, etc ….

As can be seen, the management of cooking in a wood oven has its difficulties, but it has a great advantage over all other ovens, “the emotional value”. The human being is attracted to the fire, by that unstable almost intermittent light . Even without seeing the flame, we connect a sort of heat to it and if we see this light by peeking inside the pizza chef’s oven, we automatically credit it with countless points of quality. This even before tasting the product, therefore without knowing whether it will be of quality or not.

But let’s see what critical issues we encountered in the use of a wood-burning oven:

Hygiene problems

We know how much wood is appreciated by cockroaches, small animals of all kinds and alas, rats find a brilliant habitat. The operators in the sector know this problem very well and also know that little can be done about it.

The other serious hygiene problem occurs inside the oven. It is well known that not all wood is suitable for use in the oven for cooking food. The use of resinous wood, for example, has very dangerous consequences for the health of the consumer. The resin is what the plant expels because it is not appreciated, therefore impurities. Undergoing a combustion process these impurities are transformed into micro powders which are deposited on the pizza being cooked or on the temporarily free cooking surface.

However good and attentive the pizza chef may be, unfortunately this is inevitable. So let’s see which type of wood must absolutely not be used:

• Scraps of wood previously used. This may have been in contact with harmful substances that have impregnated it. In the combustion process they dissolve in the oven and consequently on the food being cooked
• Wood affected by mold. Absolutely not recommended for consequences related to the harmfulness of the same but also for unpleasant odors
• Painted wood. It is easy to understand what the consequences of burning wood that has been painted or even plasticized can be. The result will inexorably be the release of carcinogenic toxins and toxic fumes.

Additional criticalities of cooking with a wood oven

• Noxious fumes. To comply with the law, it is necessary to install a system that reduces the emission of fumes, resulting in additional costs
• Flues. For its operation, insulated flues are installed, which are particularly expensive
• Need for qualified personnel. To fully understand how to cook pizza in these ovens, it is necessary to use highly experienced pizza chefs since the temperature inside, unlike other types, cannot be manually adjusted to make it constant.

Each oven has its own pizza

It is not enough to know all the characteristics of the various types of ovens, but it is also necessary to know the identity of the products we are going to cook in order to choose the cooking method. Ovens for pizzerias are a critical variable that must be managed with care in order to obtain the best result, so as to enhance the mixture and make it a dream pizza. For example, the static oven, with its constant and regular temperatures is ideal for all cooking, since the heat is capillary and constant inside the chamber, it is possible to manage the process with predefined settings.

If initially the wood-burning oven was the master in cooking pizza, now it has been overtaken by the more comfortable and efficient models of gas or electric ovens. For this reason it is necessary to understand which characteristics possessed by an oven can facilitate the work of the pizza chef, from the most experienced to the beginner.

How to optimize your work with 10 commercial pizza oven requirements

After analyzing how the ingredients affect cooking and how to dose them in order to avoid errors, after studying the various feeding models, including strengths and weaknesses, it is now time to understand what are the trump cards that an oven must own. Here they are listed below:

1. Temperature regulation
2. High temperatures
3. Humidity
4. Refractory stone
5. Cost and time savings
6. Cleaning
7. Programmability
8. Dimensions
9. Thermal insulation
10. Production capacity

Let’s now analyze one by one the factors integrated in a commercial pizza oven that will make your work faster and leaner.

1. Temperature adjustment

Each of the previously listed oven types has a different influence on the heat jet.

We said previously that gas ovens, depending on the mode of heat propagation, affect the product being cooked in a different way, but in any case uniform, giving constant temperatures. It is certainly an advantage for inexperienced pizza chefs to have a class of ovens that can be fed easily and without wasting time.

These machines can be adjusted in order to better manage the temperature and avoid sudden changes in temperature that would risk canceling the proper cooking process, which for some products (not just pizza) must be sweeter.

Electric ovens have the advantage of being able to perfectly control the degrees inside the machine at any time, for this reason they offer perfectly homogeneous cooking.

In the eternal disparity between electric oven and gas oven, in the case of temperature regulation, choosing one rather than the other does not involve large variations in the technique, as long as it is possible to adjust it perfectly.

2. High temperatures

Pizza is the classic food that in order to be cooked in the right way requires high temperatures and for this reason only professional ovens, designed for this, are able to give perfect cooking.

Usually the temperature of an oven to be adequate for cooking classic pizza must be between 350 and 370° C, this will allow the moisture to escape in a homogeneous and capillary way.

It is not enough just to have the possibility to regulate the internal temperature, but it is also necessary that the machine is able to reach certain levels of internal heat in order to cook the pizza correctly. It is true that each food, based on its structure / humidity / size, needs a specific temperature, but considering specifically the Classic Pizza cooked directly on the refractory surface, it needs a high temperature to give the right result.

3. Humidity

Usually the only factor that is considered in an oven is its ability to regulate the temperature, forgetting to evaluate the release of internal humidity and the possibility of inserting a steamer. There are numerous pizzerias that produce bread by cooking it in their own oven. This is essential to allow the bread to grow perfectly as well as facilitate the formation of a crunchy crust.

The steam facilitates this process making it less drastic and allowing the inside of the bread to be cooked as well. For this reason, ovens that allow the insertion of this additional accessory (the “steamer”) or that have already included a steam function in the program, are to be preferred. Usually to have this facility are the ovens powered by electricity, which in addition to perfectly regulating the internal degrees are also able to control the diffusion of humidity.

When 45° C is reached. the yeasts, as previously mentioned, enter an irreversible phase of death, they will die definitively at 55-58° C. extinguishing their function and starting the dough base, towards the solidification of the starch. Starch at 72° C begins to form a resistant network, blocking the creation and development of the alveoli by ethyl alcohol.

4. Refractory stone

To raise the quality level of your pizza, when choosing a commercial pizza oven, different materials and precautions must be considered that can make the product of the highest quality.

Among these there is certainly the refractory stone, which is generally placed inside professional ovens, it is a plate made up of different refractory materials such as clay and cordierite, sometimes terracotta and mortar are also inserted. With the adjective refractory we mean all those materials that are capable of withstanding high temperatures without contaminating the surrounding objects, for this reason the composition must be perfectly known in order to avoid materials that can be harmful to human health.

These plates inserted inside the professional machinery have several advantages for the production of pizza:

• Heat retention: this material is able to incorporate and retain a large amount of heat and release it gradually
• Resistance: inherent in the properties of the material is the ability to withstand very high temperatures without contaminating or causing chemical reactions with the doughs
• Homogeneous distribution: like all stones, it allows a gradual release of heat, helping in the prevention of temperature changes, even with the momentary opening of the door
• Faster cooking process: the consistency with which the heat is distributed and the proximity allow for faster cooking and with higher temperatures.

All these characteristics contribute to creating a quality product and therefore having an oven with this requirement will certainly bring significant advantages, easily perceived by the customer when he bites into a slice of pizza.

5. Cost and time savings

This is not a real requirement, rather an evaluation advice to optimize costs and reduce production times.

Although wood-fired ovens have always been associated with the cooking of pizza, they have currently been greatly reconsidered at the time of their inclusion in the production in pizzerias due to their slowness in cooking and the lack of homogeneity in the distribution of heat. When you have many customers to satisfy in front of you, it is not possible to bake more pizzas than those occupying the top, which is why having a modular oven with more shelves, only possible in the gas or electric version, allows you to have more space where to insert the food for cooking and also have a time saver.

Electric or gas ovens for pizzeria have a better heat distribution, thus allowing faster cooking, moreover having the possibility to pre-set the cooking program, it is not necessary to check the progress of the process several times. Furthermore, with these types of ovens it is not even necessary to have highly trained personnel or tools, which in addition to slowing down the work must also be continually replaced to avoid wear, without considering that professional tools of this type also have additional costs to bear bill.

6. Cleaning

Ovens for pizzerias, as well as all other machinery useful in food production, must comply with strict hygiene and health standards. Every day, the right amount of time must be devoted to the maintenance and regular cleaning of all instruments. Having an oven that does not produce excessive amounts of dirt due to the combustion of materials and that can be easy to clean in all its parts, will certainly facilitate this process.

Gas and electric ovens certainly have an edge in this respect, precisely because of the smooth composition of the internal materials which make it easy to eliminate the residues of the dough cooked during the day.

Otherwise, having a fuel that also produces residues would involve more work in the cleaning phase. This aspect should not be underestimated as spending less time in this activity and still having excellent hygiene of the machinery also improves the image of the pizzeria itself, as well as being more in line with the requirements dictated by current legislation.

Tip: for periodic cleaning of the hob from residues of lipids and fats in general, it is advisable to adopt this procedure at the end of the service. Bring the oven to maximum temperature and leave it on for 25 – 30 minutes. When it has cooled down we will brush it well and pass it a damp but not wet “dedicated” cloth, that is, that does not release water. Be careful because if this should happen, know that the refractory stone will inexorably crack, as a result of the increase in the volume of the water which, not finding an outlet, will create tears.

7. Programmability

Thanks to the advancement of techniques and the development of technologies, even commercial pizza ovens have undergone significant updates. Having an oven in which it is possible to set well-defined programs, as well as allowing perfect cooking, reduces the time spent in production.

Having a machine that is able to cook pizza without having to constantly monitor it helps to devote time to other activities and therefore to make the work processes, which take place inside the pizzeria, faster and smoother. So, to optimize your work, having an oven with a display that can program cooking is certainly a considerable advantage.

8. Dimensions

The spaces dedicated to the various machines in pizzerias are almost always reduced, so having a compact oven that can be easily adapted facilitates the distribution of space. Modular ovens are able to cook a greater quantity of pizzas, but take up much less space, without forgetting that wood-fired ovens, for example, require a large space of movement in order to work with the necessary tools.

The password in these cases is “compact”. An oven that manages to be compact, at the same time efficient and easy to insert inside the structure can be an excellent choice that certainly facilitates the work of the staff. For this reason, the dimensions must be well thought out before purchasing.

9. Thermal insulation

When you work in confined spaces and in contact with an oven, the first thing you think about is that the heat that is given off by the machinery, in the case of some types of ovens, can make the workplace unlivable.

Choosing a type of oven such as gas or electric that is able to make heat dispersion more difficult, also thanks to the doors present, is an extra help that can be provided to make this work faster and more pleasant. Thermal insulation is usually guaranteed by the choice of materials and their composition so as to prevent heat from being dispersed, also increasing the costs necessary to maintain constant temperatures inside the cooking chambers.

10. Production capacity

The machinery present within an activity when they are chosen are also evaluated according to their production capacity, this is easily calculated based on the products needed to be made to meet the demand and an excess of the same.

Owning an oven that is able to satisfy a high productivity and even the moments of low activity is a concrete help in the work. In practice, the choice of the oven must be made considering the production numbers in hyper activity.

Ovens that have several cooking chambers can choose which of these to operate in order to also have a saving in terms of fuel costs and allow to increase the quantity of cooked products thanks to the different shelves present. Ovens such as wood-burning ones tend to be much less flexible and have an unchanged productivity, always consuming the same amount of fuel.

In an activity such as the pizzeria, where there is not a constant flow of customers, having the ability to vary the type and quantity of products made certainly makes work easier.

In conclusion

Although considering all these factors in choosing among the many commercial pizza ovens can be complicated, it is important to evaluate them to make the work as efficient as possible and to have a dedicated place that is absolutely functional.

In summary, all these characteristics can be summarized in 4 points:

• Consider the temperature variable and its regulation
• Choose ovens that allow you to speed up your work
• Know the characteristics of the materials used
• Prefer machinery that can be easily programmed and controlled.

Italforni is available to provide you with all the useful information for a careful choice of the most suitable oven and to advise you on the best performing solution for your business.

Contact us to request an interview with one of our consultants who can answer all your questions regarding:

• Technical product information
• Advice on the most suitable product for your business
• Information relating to the regulations in force
• Adequate connection of the exhaust system
• Testing
• Optimizations on the use of the oven
• Training / advanced / specialization courses
• Improvement consultancy for doughs
• Industry news