HPC Forno de Pizza Oven Recipes: What You Can Cook Beyond Pizza

1. Hugo’s Smoked Baby Back Ribs

Hugo Laranja's Smoked Baby Back Ribs use the HPC Forno for low-and-slow cooking followed by wood smoking. The original recipe calls for cooking the ribs at 225°F for approximately three hours, with room for up to six full racks in the oven.

The 2-inch refractory dome helps retain heat as the ribs cook. Later in the recipe, soaked apple chips are added to the remaining wood to introduce smoke while the gas heat is kept at 225°F.

How to Make Smoked Baby Back Ribs in an HPC Forno

1. Remove the thin membrane from the bone side of the ribs. Pat the ribs dry and apply your preferred dry rub evenly over the meat.
2. Wrap the ribs in heavy-duty aluminum foil with approximately 1/8 cup of apple juice to help keep them moist while cooking.
3. Place the ribs vertically in a four-slot rib rack positioned on a half sheet pan.
4. Cook the wrapped ribs for approximately 1½ hours.
5. Remove the ribs from the foil and return them to the oven. Add soaked apple chips to the remaining wood burning at the back of the oven.
6. Maintain the oven at 225°F according to the recipe, close the door, and smoke the ribs for approximately 45 minutes.
7. Remove the ribs and add more soaked apple chips.
8. Rotate the ribs 180 degrees so the side previously facing the front now faces the back.
9. Smoke for another 45 minutes.
10. Remove the ribs from the oven and serve them with your preferred barbecue sauce.

Cooking note: The 225°F measurement refers to the oven temperature used in this recipe. Cooking time alone should not be treated as the only measure of food doneness.

2. Dutch Oven Beef Stew

Dutch Oven Beef Stew demonstrates another way to use the HPC Forno. Instead of direct high-heat cooking, this recipe uses a covered Dutch oven at 275°F to slowly cook beef, potatoes, vegetables, tomatoes, broth, and fresh herbs.

Dutch Oven Beef Stew Ingredients

• 3 lbs beef, cut into chunks
• 4 sprigs parsley
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 diced onion
• 5 cloves garlic
• 7 carrots, roughly chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 1/2 lbs potatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• Chopped parsley, for serving

How to Make Dutch Oven Beef Stew in an HPC Forno

1. Preheat the Forno de Pizza Oven to 275°F according to the appropriate operating procedure for your model.
2. Bundle the parsley, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves together with kitchen twine.
3. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat.
4. Brown the beef in batches, arranging the pieces approximately one inch apart in a single layer. Turn them several times until browned on at least three sides, approximately 8–10 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned beef to a plate.
5. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and browned.
6. Add the carrots and celery and cook for approximately 4 minutes, until aromatic.
7. Add the red wine and stir to loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook until the wine has evaporated, approximately 4–5 minutes. The original recipe recommends a good-quality Cabernet Sauvignon.
8. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of flour over the vegetables and stir until evenly coated. Cook for 1 minute.
9. Add the beef broth, potatoes, diced tomatoes, browned beef, and any accumulated juices.
10. Season the stew with 3 tablespoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Add the herb bundle and bring the stew to a simmer.
11. Cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated Forno de Pizza Oven.
12. Cook for approximately 1½–2 hours.
13. Allow the stew to cool for approximately 30 minutes before serving. Remove the herb bundle and finish with chopped parsley.

3. Apple Pomegranate Cobbler

An HPC Forno can also be used for dessert baking. This Apple Pomegranate Cobbler combines Granny Smith apples with a buttery topping and is baked at 375°F until the fruit filling is bubbling and the topping is golden.

Apple Pomegranate Cobbler Ingredients

• 6 Granny Smith apples (3 pounds), peeled, halved, cored, and sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 1 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• Kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup cold heavy cream, plus more for brushing
• Pomegranate seeds
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Recipe note: The supplied recipe instructions call for reducing pomegranate juice to 1/3 cup, but the supplied ingredient list does not state the starting quantity of pomegranate juice. Verify that quantity from the original recipe source before preparing the cobbler.

How to Make Apple Pomegranate Cobbler in an HPC Forno

1. Preheat the Forno de Pizza Oven to 375°F according to the appropriate operating procedure for your model. Prepare ramekins or cast-iron skillets for the filling.
2. In a small saucepan over moderately high heat, boil the pomegranate juice until it reduces to 1/3 cup, approximately 15 minutes. The supplied recipe does not specify the starting quantity of juice.
3. Transfer the reduced juice to a large bowl. Add the apples, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix and transfer the filling to the baking dish.
4. In another large bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 cups of flour, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
5. Add the cold butter. Use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles very coarse crumbs, with some pieces approximately the size of peas.
6. Add 1 cup of cream and stir gently until combined. Avoid overmixing.
7. Spray the baking dishes and fill them approximately halfway, leaving room for the topping.
8. Form the topping into small clumps and scatter them over the apple filling. Brush the topping with cream and sprinkle with sugar.
9. Bake at 375°F for approximately 60–70 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the topping is golden. If the crust browns too quickly, cover it with foil.
10. Allow the cobbler to cool for approximately 20 minutes. Finish with pomegranate seeds and serve with vanilla ice cream.