Luigi e Giuseppina have a brick oven because Luigi built one on his property a long time ago, just after he built his house. It takes a person who really knows how to build one of those or you can forget about using it. So many things can go wrong: if the chimney is not well built the fire may not light or not stay on, the smoke can come out of it's mouth instead of the chimney, it can cook unevenly or very poorly.... the possibilities are so many.  

In Italy we were fortunate to have my great uncle who was a master at building ovens and fireplaces among everything else.  A few years ago we remodeled mom's house in Italy. I made it a point to have Zio Totonno over (his name is really Antonio but we call him Totonno) when we were building a new fireplace. He is nearly 90 years old now so he couldn't do anything, but he definitely gave us the guidance we needed.

My sons have been requesting that I get one built on our property since their return from Italy at age nine. They wanted me to make the same roast chicken and roast rabbit, the crispy breads, the pizzas..... all the things grandma could bake in her brick oven that tasted so good. Because I never learned how to use it, I never looked into getting one built. Another reason was Zio Totonno was not here in California.

I'm thinking about looking at one of those that they make in Italy and export in relatively large parts. I'm going to do some research and, depending on the outcome, I may get one this summer and have it shipped. Being in Italy will give me a good chance to learn how to use it with my mother there to teach me.

I am very excited and looking forward to being there this coming summer!


With my mind’s eye I can still see my mother taking baking pans out of the oven while still baking, hearing the swishing sound. The delicious smells associated with whatever had been cooking still come back to me so vivid that I wish I coluld go back to that time.

Below are a few of my sons’ favorite recipes whenever they are in Italy. Although they taste best when they are baked in the brick oven, they can also be cooked in gas or electric ovens with excellent results.

  

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CONIGLIO ALLA CONTADINA

(FARMER'S STYLE RABBIT)

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Serves 6

 

Ingredients:

1 rabbit

3 tablespoons salt for cleansing

3 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon oregano

1 ½ teaspoons sage

1 teaspoon rosemary

½ cup white wine

¼ cup olive oil

Salt and black pepper to taste

Cut the rabbit in small pieces and remove all visible fat.  Place the pieces in a bowl, sprinkle with the 3 tablespoons of salt, mix well, then rinse and squeeze out the excess water.  Add the rest of the ingredients, mix well to coat, cover the bowl and marinate for 2 hours at room temperature.  Preheat the oven at 375 degrees, arrange the pieces in a large baking dish and bake covered with aluminum foil for 30 minutes.  Uncover the baking dish and bake for 25 minutes, turn the pieces over and bake an additional 25 minutes to obtain golden coloring throughout.  Serve hot.

Preparation Time: 50 minutes
Total Rising Time: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Baking Time: 30 minutes
Makes 8 pieces

Ingredients:

FOR THE DOUGH:

½ package (1½ teaspoons) dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
3½ cups flour
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons olive oil

In the large bowl of the mixer combine yeast, salt and 1¼ cups warm water (about 120 degrees). Stir with a wire whisk until the salt and yeast are dissolved. Set the mixer with dough hooks on medium speed, add 3 cups (reserve the other half cup) of flour and mix for 5 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl. The mixture should be consistent and free of lumps. Scrape it out of the mixing bowl into in a large greased bowl and spray the dough's top surface throughout with cooking spray. Cover the top of the bowl with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place (in the oven with the light on) for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until doubled in size. Cover the surface of a large cookie sheet or pizza pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, spreading it with a kitchen brush, and set aside. 

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FOR THE TOPPING: 

2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Stretch the dough to the size of the cookie sheet by flattening it with your hands and gently pulling around the edge. Place it on the cookie sheet, brush the olive oil evenly over the top and sprinkle with the parmesan. Cover it with paper towels and return to the oven to rise for another 50 minutes. Take the pizza out of the oven and pre-heat it at 375 degrees, return the pizza to the oven, and bake for 30 minutes or until the desired crispness. Cut and serve hot or cold.

By the time Mom or Grandma got around to making a new batch of bread, the old was usually hard. Needless to say, we always looked forward to this fresh pizza, because it was the first thing to come out of the oven. They baked it to test the temperature of the brick oven. If it colored too quickly, it was a sign that the bricks in the oven dome needed another brushing with cold water to reduce the heat for the bread to cook evenly.