Anyone who often makes pizza at home knows that the outcome depends largely on how it’s cooked. A traditional oven may do the job, but it’s unlikely to achieve the same effect as a pizza cooked at a high temperature in just a few minutes.
The electric pizza oven is a appliance designed specifically to reach high temperatures quickly and cook pizza faster, allowing you to obtain a well-cooked base and toppings that remain soft.
It is no coincidence that the pizza oven is one of those products that has shaped the history of G3 Ferrari. The best-known model is called Delizia, which has brought a simple and instant way of making pizza into many homes. Alongside this one, there are more advanced models such as the Pizza Pro 2 Minuti, designed to take speed and cooking control even further. Moreover, you can find the Krispy model, which combines the pizza function with various cooking programmes for wider, everyday use. We also offer other models you might want to take into account: we’ve compared three of them in our article on which pizza oven to choose.
Throughout this guide, our goal will be clearing up the most common doubts about how to use a mini pizza oven: from preheating to temperature, from cooking times to cleaning.
How to bake pizza in the electric oven
If you want to avoid mistakes, we recommend following the procedure below: preheat the oven thoroughly, prepare the pizza on a lightly floured peel, place it in the oven only when the baking stone is piping hot, then close the lid or door and keep an eye on it as it cooks.
One of the most common concerns arises precisely before you have to put the pizza in the oven: how to prevent it from sticking to the peel. This happens mainly when the dough is very wet, when the pizza stays on the peel for too long before being put in the oven, or when there isn’t enough flour or semolina underneath. To overcome this obstacle, we recommend to lightly flour the peel, top the pizza only at the very last moment and, before putting it in the oven, give it a gentle shake to make sure that it slides smoothly. If you feel that it tends to stick at some point, add another light dusting of flour or semolina. A damp peel or a very wet dough can also make this process harder, thus a bit of practice plays a crucial role.
Preheating the oven
Preheating is the first step you mustn’t get wrong. In pizza ovens, the refractory stone must accumulate sufficient heat before the dough is placed inside: if you put it in too early, the base is likely to remain pale or soggy. It’s not enough for the oven to be hot; the stone must have time to absorb the heat evenly.
With the Delizia model, you need to preheat for about 10 minutes with the oven door closed. The pizza should be placed in the oven when the indicator light is on, because at that moment the heating elements are working and the heat is more uniform. With Pizza Pro 2 Minuti and Krispy, everything is more intuitive, as the oven itself signals when it has reached the right temperature.
Pizza cooking temperature
The cooking temperature depends on the specific model and the type of pizza you want to make- generally speaking, it should be at least 350°C to ensure a good result. The higher the heat, the faster the base cooks without drying out the toppings too much.
Delizia reaches up to 400°C, whilst Pizza Pro 2 Minuti goes up to 450°C– it is designed to achieve a final result reminiscent of Neapolitan pizza. Krispy reaches 380°C and is an interesting option for those looking for an oven suitable not only for pizza, but also for other dishes.
When setting the temperature, you must always start from the model’s instructions. If you want to bake pizza using the Delizia model, the knob should be set between 2½ and 3, whereas the timer should be set to 5 minutes. Pizza Pro 2 Minuti and Krispy, on the other hand, allow for more precise adjustment thanks to the digital display, dedicated programmes and separate control of top and bottom heat.
When adjusting the cooking time, always keep an eye on the dough: a thin-crust pizza cooks quickly and requires a carefully managed temperature, without overdoing it; a thicker pizza, on the other hand, needs more time to cook properly right through to the centre.
Pizza cooking times in a mini oven
Cooking times vary depending on the model, but also on the thickness of the dough, the moisture content of the toppings, and whether the pizza is fresh or frozen.
Using Delizia, your pizza will be ready in about 4–5 minutes. Pizza Pro 2 Minuti, as the name suggests, is designed to take around 2 minutes. Krispy has slightly more flexible times, depending on the programme selected, but is still much quicker than a traditional domestic oven.
In all cases, it is advisable to check the final result by looking at three things: the crust, the base and the toppings retention will indicate exactly when the pizza is ready.
How to clean your pizza oven and how to maintain it
Rather than actual maintenance, we’re talking here about small precautions that help the oven work well for longer. The first rule is simple: never clean it whilst it’s hot. Unplug it and always wait for it to cool down completely.
For the outer part a soft cloth or damp sponge is sufficient. To clean inside the oven you can opt for warm water and a non-abrasive sponge, being careful not to let any liquid get into the ventilation openings. In models equipped with ventilation and cooling systems, you should avoid forcing the oven to switch off or cleaning it prematurely.
A special mention should be made of the baking stone, which is the heart of the cooking process. As we explained in the article “Baking stones and pizza oven accessories”, it should be placed in direct contact with the base of the pizza to help the dough dry out and ensure the base is cooked through- it must never be greased, washed with detergents or saturated under running water. When it is cold, you can remove any residue with a scraper and wipe it down with a slightly damp cloth.
If it darkens with use, don’t worry because there is nothing unusual about this: it is a natural characteristic of the stone. The most important thing is to prevent oil, tomato or mozzarella from falling onto the surface, as they can stain and dirty it more than necessary. In some models, such as Krispy, the stone can also be lightened using the oven’s pyrolytic cleaning function, which uses the oven’s own heat to burn off the most stubborn residues.
The aluminium paddles also deserve a bit of care: it is best to wash them by hand, avoiding the dishwasher, which tends to damage them over time.
What to cook in a pizza oven
G3 Ferrari pizza ovens aren’t just for pizza. Their high temperatures make them useful for many other dishes too. The ‘Delizia’ model, for example, has always been used to cook focaccia, sweet or savoury tarts, as well as the famous italian piadina and schiacciata, chestnuts. For foods other than pizza, such as fish, vegetables or chicken, we recommend to use suitable ovenproof containers, rather than placing the food directly on the stone.
The Krispy model, meanwhile, was designed with a broader range of uses in mind: it features programmes and accessories tailor-made for vegetables, grilling and everyday cooking. It is designed for those looking for an appliance that can perfectly cook pizza and at the same time can be used for other everyday tasks.
One of the most common questions is: can you cook frozen pizza in an electric pizza oven? Yes, you can. However, it’s advisable to take it out of the freezer at least 10–15 minutes beforehand– it guarantees a high-quality result. This simple step helps reduce the temperature variation and prevents the centre from remaining too moist.
And now… full-on pizza!
Using an electric pizza oven effectively means, above all, getting to grips with three things: heat, timing and dough. Once you’ve got the hang of preheating, the baking stone and cooking, making a good pizza at home becomes much easier. Choosing the right model, you can discover the cooking method that best suits your tastes and the time available.
