If you’re staying in Garden Studio at Old Post Office, you have access to The World’s Number 1 Outdoor Pizza Oven.

The Ooni Koda 12.

More here: https://uk.ooni.com.

Here’s what you need to know:

SAFETY FIRST.
1. If you’re worried about anything, at any time, call Mychael on 07960 117077.
2. Please don’t leave Ooni Koda 12 on for more than 5 to 10 minutes without cooking. Once your pizzas are cooked, or if you’re pausing or not quite ready – please turn it off straight away.
3. Please take great care to keep children and pets well away from Ooni Koda 12. Their and your safety, and the welfare and safety of the premises and any/all associated equipment is entirely your responsibility. Don’t worry. With due care and consideration – you’ll be fine.

1. Set Things Up. Ooni Koda 12 is under the stairs in the kitchen. If you fancy a homemade pizza night, carefully carry Ooni Koda 12 (being careful that the stone does not slide out of the front) to the covered outdoor pizza station. Text Mychael (07960 117077), let him know what time you’d like to cook and Mychael will attach the gas shortly before that time. And answer any questions you have.

2. Make Your Dough. Everything you need to weigh and make amazing stonebaked bases is in your studio. This recipe is decent: https://www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/bread/quick-pizza-dough. You can get your favourite toppings from one of numerous supermarkets and independent stores in Hexham or Corbridge.

3. Stage Your Pizzas. There are 6 bamboo paddles in your studio. Important: Sprinkle (lots!) of semolina on each paddle before you place your rolled-out pizza bases to pretty much cover each paddle. Now top/stage your pizzas.

4. Fire up! Turn Ooni Koda 12 on by pushing the knob at the back in, and turning it 45 degrees anti-clockwise until it ‘clicks’ and you hear a ‘woosh’. Hold for 5 seconds. Let go – and you’re lit! You may have to try this 1 to 5 times. Once you’re lit (look carefully into the front to check) wait 15(ish) minutes. 400 to 450 degrees centigrade is the perfect pizza cooking temperature. Ooni Koda 12 may get to 500 degrees centigrade. You can lower the temperature by turning the knob anticlockwise again, slightly beyond the 45 degrees you turned it to fire up. It’s really easy to know the exact temperature of Ooni Koda 12 at any time – simply use the temperature gun by firing the red beam into the oven as often as you like. Read the display on the gun.

5. Cooking Pizzas. Important: Cover the stainless steel paddle with a generous amount of semolina. Slide your pizzas, one by one, from each bamboo paddle to the stainless steel paddle. Slide the stainless steel paddle into the oven and with a flick of the wrist, allow the pizza to slide from the stainless steel paddle onto the pizza stone. Amazingly, each pizza cooks in about 30 to 45 seconds. Keep taking your pizza out, with the stainless steel paddle, every 10 to 15 seconds, to gently turn it (the oven is hotter at the back than the front).

Endnotes
1. You are likely to have one or two small, short-lasting fires inside the oven as toppings fall off. Don’t worry about that.
2. The stone may blacken as you use it. Again, don’t worry as we wire-brush the stone between each stay.

And that’s that! Be patient. You may mess a pizza or two up. But, as you’ll discover with the ones you do get right – it’s well worth the wait.

Happy Pizza-ing.

Mychael.