February 29, 2024 Tristan Hudales

Glowen Raptor - Get Started

Solid Fuel: Hardwood kindling, Oak Wood, Fire Starters, Lighter (optional: butane torch).
Gas: For gas cooking, use the Glowen Raptor Gas Burner with Piezo and a propane gas tank.
Infrared Thermometer to ensure your baking stone reaches at least 750 °F / 400 °C before cooking.
Wooden peel to transfer the pizza into the oven.
Turning peel to rotate the pizza and remove it from the oven.

Dough making tools:

Ingredients you'll need:

Dough:

Sauce:

Toppings:

Make your dough

Watch the video below to learn to make dough for a Neapolitan-style pizza.

Here's the procedure for preparing the dough:

Measure 0.64 kilograms of water for every 1 kilogram of "00" flour. Adjust the water temperature based on the ambient room temperature (e.g., 20°C in winter, 8°C in summer).
Dissolve 30 grams of salt for every 1 kilogram of flour in the water. Ensure the salt is thoroughly dissolved.
Add 0.67 grams of fresh yeast for every 1 kilogram of flour to the water mixture.
Mix the water, salt, and yeast thoroughly until well combined.
Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl or dough container.
Gradually add the flour to the mixture, stirring continuously until a shaggy dough forms.
Once all the flour is incorporated, knead the dough by hand or with a stand mixer until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 10-15 minutes.
Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let it ferment at room temperature (20°C) for 20 minutes, adjusting the fermentation time based on the temperature.
After fermentation, the dough is ready to be divided into portions and shaped as desired before baking.
Place the pizza balls into Dough Proofing Trays and leave them for a day.

Enjoy your homemade pizza dough!

Set up your oven

Solid fuel

Begin by building your fire on the left side of the pizza oven. Arrange the wood from left to right and front to back.
Use 7-9 sticks of dry kindling to start the fire. Ensure that the kindling is completely dry for optimal ignition.
Add one to two odor-free, non-toxic fire starters to help ignite the kindling and establish the fire.
Once the fire is lit, add 2-3 pieces of wood. This will provide sustained heat for cooking.

Alternatively, you can use a butane torch to ignite the fire quickly and efficiently.
Ensure that the wood used for the fire is perfectly dried to avoid excessive smoke and ensure even cooking temperatures.
Avoid using wax and sawdust fireplace starters to prevent imparting unwanted tastes to your food.

Follow these steps to properly start your fire in the Glowen Raptor and begin your culinary journey with confidence!

Gas

To cook with gas use the Glowen Raptor Gas Burner with Piezo and a tank of propane gas.

Shape your pizza dough!

Before you begin, remove any jewelry from your hands.

Lightly flour your work surface and hands.

Follow these steps:

Start by gently pressing down on the center of the dough with your fingertips, leaving about a 1-inch (2.5 cm) border untouched.
Then, using your fingertips, press down and push the dough outward from the center to form a larger circle, ensuring the edges are slightly thicker than the center.
Once the dough is stretched to your desired size, carefully lift and rotate it as needed to maintain an even thickness.

Spinner: Place both hands flat on the disc of dough and rotate it as you pull your hands away from each other.
Steering Wheel: Lift by the edge and allow it to hang down. Gently pinch along the edge as you rotate it around.
Over hands stretches: Lay over your hands and slowly move them apart to stretch the dough, being careful to avoid tearing.

For a thinner crust, delicately stretch the edges of the dough with your hands.
Lastly, transfer the shaped dough to a wooden peel dusted with flour before adding your preferred toppings.

Remember to handle the dough gently and patiently to prevent tearing or uneven thickness. Enjoy your homemade pizza!

Top your pizza!

Before topping, transfer your shaped base onto a floured peel, to prevent sticking.
Check for any holes or tears in the dough and pinch them together to prevent sauce from leaking through.
If the dough sticks to the peel, lift it gently and scatter more flour underneath the affected area.
Once the base is prepared, add your desired toppings evenly across the surface.
Keep the toppings light to make it easier to launch your pizza into the oven and less likely to stick to the peel.
Start with a generous layer of tomato sauce or pesto as the base.
Add your favorite toppings such as cheese, vegetables, meats, and herbs.
Ensure toppings are evenly distributed to avoid uneven cooking.
Finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

Launch your pizza!

Once your pizza is topped, it's time to slide it off the Wooden peel and into the oven.
Ensure that your shaped base hasn’t stuck to the peel before launching.
Aim to slide the pizza into the middle of the baking stone, which is the optimal position for even cooking.

Cook Your Pizza!

Once the pizza is in the oven, allow it to cook without turning until the edges of the crust begin to rise.
Begin rotating the pizza every 5-10 seconds.
Occasionally check the underside of the pizza to monitor its cooking progress.
Bake the pizza until it reaches your desired level of crispiness, indicated by the browning of the crust edges.
Utilize the Glowen metal peel for this process.
Your Neapolitan-style pizza will be ready in a minute. If you plan to cook a second pizza, ensure that the stone returns to the baking temperature before launching the next one.

To maintain cleanliness on the exterior: Ensure that the Glowen Oven has fully cooled down, then use a dry paper towel to remove any stains.
Cleaning the interior: Once the oven has cooled completely, remove the baking plate if solid fuels were used, and dispose of any cooled ashes. Avoid using water to clean the oven's interior.
For cleaning the baking stones: After the oven has cooled down, flip the stones over and reinsert them for the next use; the oven's heat will burn off any remaining residue.

Avoid cleaning the stones with water as it may cause damage.