Have you noticed that most pizza ovens are round? Do you know that the design of a pizza oven is heavily influenced by tradition, and also a practical choice?
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Do pizza ovens have to be round?
No, pizza ovens do not have to be round. Many are also square or rectangular and usually have an arched top to reflect the heat evenly.
Why Are Pizza Ovens Round?
There are a few reasons why pizza ovens have a round shape. One of the most important is tradition. When you consider that pizza was made by Neapolitan chefs in the late 1700s, it makes sense that the first pizza ovens were round for this very reason.
Another reason is practicality. The typical home-style pizza has an oblong shape, as the dough usually bakes into a cylinder as it cooks on top of its stone deck. In order to keep this from happening – and to ensure good air circulation throughout the oven – pizzas have to be placed on a flat surface so they cook more evenly on all sides and can rise without having a tall, thin base of dough under them.
Shape is also a way for pizza makers to show their own style. Today, many pizza ovens on the market will have a multitude of shapes and sizes. This is where the art of making these pizzas comes into play.
What Shape Should A Pizza Oven Be?
Since the majority of pizza ovens are round, it can be hard to imagine what a square or rectangular pizza oven would look like. If you are considering looking into building your own pizza oven, this is something to consider while thinking about the overall design.
Each shape has its own unique advantages, but it is important to plan ahead before you make your purchase or start construction. Knowing how big you will want the oven to be is the first thing you need to figure out.
When in doubt, plan on having extra space below or above for heat circulation. You can use the extra space to raise the floor even more than is standard.
Because of the type of oven you are looking to purchase, your design considerations may include:
Square pizza ovens are good for business applications where they will be used primarily for pizza making and not entertaining. They must be built with a high-up platform to maintain even heat throughout the oven.
Rectangular pizza ovens are great if you plan on using your oven for meals and entertaining. Because this shape allows you to place the hearth directly in front, it works best for cooking other items such as breads and roasts.
Oblong pizza ovens are the least popular because the hearth is not directly in front of the doorway. This means that most of your heat will be concentrated in the back of the building, making it harder to maintain consistent temperatures throughout your entire oven.
Does A Wood Fired Pizza Oven Have To Be Round?
No, not necessarily. Wood fired brick ovens (both indoor pizza oven and outdoor pizza ovens) are also square, rectangular, and oblong. The primary difference between pizza ovens made of bricks or wood is that bricks are usually designed to produce better tops. This is because of the type of firing they will experience during the baking process, which is why pizza ovens built of bricks are usually more expensive than wood fired ones.
Since most brick ovens are round, it’s easy to use them for both flatbread and pizzas without any changes in the design process.
Dome Vs Barrel Pizza Oven
If you are looking to purchase a pizza oven, you might notice that there are two main shapes available. These are the barrel and dome ovens. The barrel style is the more popular of the two, as it is easier to build, cheaper to purchase, and can be made with less material.
However, this does not mean that dome ovens are better than barrel ovens. Most of the time you will find both styles being used for different applications.
Barrel pizza ovens are found in many homes, restaurants, and pizzerias. Because they are more convenient to build and design, they are the most popular choice for home bakers.
Dome ovens, on the other hand, are the more popular choice for restaurants and businesses because of their ability to make better tasting pizzas. This is due to their ability to maintain a consistent temperature throughout the entire structure.
Related – Should a pizza oven have a hood? – Is pizza dough bread?
Why Are Pizza Ovens Domes?
One of the reasons why dome ovens are so popular is because of the way they insulate heat. The shape makes a lot of sense when you consider that a pizza cooks at over 500 degrees, so you need a structure that can keep the heat in and reflective of both sides.
In order to do this properly, you must have a thick roof on your oven that is made from either brick or concrete. This will then transfer the heat into the rest of the structure without letting it escape back into your kitchen or into your home.
What Are The Advantages Of A Dome Pizza Oven?
Many of the advantages to dome style ovens come down to the fact that they can maintain a more consistent temperature than barrel pizza ovens. This is especially true in brick pizza ovens, which are designed to withstand high temperatures and maintain an even heat throughout.
Oven domes also allow for greater flexibility when using your oven. They can be built with a wider doorway, which means you can cook larger pizzas in the oven without them smashing. This is not possible with barrel pizza ovens.
Dome ovens also allow for a greater circulation of heat, which is a crucial element when cooking a pizza at such a high temperature. This is because it creates an air flow that makes sure that nothing gets burned, no matter how long the pizza spends in the oven.
Conclusion
Pizza ovens are among the most popular structures used in the world today. They are perfect for making pizzas at home or even in a restaurant, but are also great for grilling vegetables and meats. They are not only fun to work with, but also provide you with one of the best experiences you can have when it comes to cooking.
