Electric or wood oven: what are the differences you should know?
We will never stop loving pizza , yet cooking – whether in an electric oven or a wood-fired oven – is a serious matter and should be studied as thoroughly as possible. It all starts with wood-fired ovens with their typical stone structure.
ELECTRIC AND WOOD OVEN, THE HISTORY
The domed shape of the wood-fired oven dates back to the 5th century BC: the ancient Greeks in fact perfected the vertical-mouth model already in use. In these ovens, it was common to cook round focaccias and bread in general. If today the tradition of the wood-fired oven continues, allowing us to eat a traditional Neapolitan pizza , we certainly cannot deny the existence of the electric oven. The first models with a square metal chamber, not electric but gas, date back to 1820.
Only a century later, with the discovery of electrical resistance, the power supply was replaced. From there, the diffusion was rapid and widespread first in homes, then in restaurants. It was in the 70s, however, that the models of square electric ovens began to make possible a cooking similar to that of a wood oven.
ELECTRIC AND WOOD OVEN, PROS AND CONS
Let’s start with the basics. How does a pizza cook? Through radiation from above (direct exposure to hot parts), conduction from the floor and convection, inside the alveoli.
The wood-fired oven certainly requires a pizza chef to take breaks: at the beginning of the evening it can lead to overcooking the pizzas, and subsequently not heating them as necessary. The electric oven does not have this inconvenience. It is in fact possible to independently supply more heat if necessary. From a practical point of view, installing a wood-fired oven means undertaking masonry work and having a flue. The electric oven, if gas, instead only requires external ventilation on one wall.
ELECTRIC AND WOOD OVEN, QUALITY
Ultimately, it is also a matter of taste . The electric oven obviously allows for better results if there are less experienced pizza chefs, while the wood-fired oven requires knowledge and ability to maintain a constant temperature and to turn the pizzas in the oven regularly.
However, it must be admitted that the charm of the wood oven is absolutely not comparable to that of an electric model, and probably this idea will remain in everyone’s mind for a long time. One last concept, finally, must be underlined and it concerns the good pizza chef. This figure he knows how to make the dough well, roll out the pizza and season it. When cooking with a wood-fired oven, however, he must also be able to manage the flame, keep the temperature constant and choose the best wood to use.
