It Took Me 368 Days To Make This Homemade Pizza (Oven) | Claire Saffitz

Thanks to King Arthur Baking Company for being the sponsor of this episode! Explore the holiday season with King Arthur's exceptional flour products, including "00" Pizza Flour, using my code at bakewith.us/Claire
It Took Me 368 Days To Make This Homemade Pizza (Oven) | Claire Saffitz
We've got a special episode for you this Thanksgiving. Over the past year, I've dedicated myself to constructing an earth oven in my backyard, drawing inspiration from the renowned Kiko Denzer. From renting an excavator to building the foundation, installing insulation, constructing the oven floor, and adding insulation layers - this project has been a labor of love. In this hour-long journey, sponsored by the fantastic King Arthur Baking Company, I take the newly crafted oven on its maiden voyage. Join me as I attempt to create a classic Neapolitan wood-fired pizza, inspired by the techniques of Jeffrey Hamelman.
Throughout this video, I share the highs and lows, successes, and lessons learned. From the initial stages of building the oven to the final moments of savoring a homemade pizza, every step is documented. Learn from our experiences as we encounter challenges and celebrate small victories. While the journey is ongoing, we successfully craft dough, prepare pizza sauce, and assemble a pizza entirely from scratch.
Ingredients:
BIGA
100g 00 flour
60g water
¼ teaspoon instant yeast
DOUGH:
415g 00 flour
290g water
8g salt
1⅛ teaspoon yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
DOUGH:
415g 00 flour
290g water
8g salt
1⅛ teaspoon yeast
2 tablespoons olive oil
PIZZA SAUCE:
One 14-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes,
drained, pierced and drained of seeds and inner liquid
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
Generous pinch of red pepper flakes
TOPPINGS:
Mozzarella
Top with: more fresh oregano, olive oil, spoonfuls of stracciatella
Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:48 Day 368
00:06:50 Make the Biga
00:11:54 Make the Pizza Dough
00:18:05 Portion and Refrigerate
00:24:48 Build an Oven
00:37:57 Make the Tomato Sauce
00:45:00 Cook the Pizza
00:56:19 Day 369
01:02:12 Verdict
01:03:47 Chicken Cam
What's for Dessert by Claire Saffitz is out now: geni.us/WjcIbfp
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Video Series:
Producer/Director: Vincent C.
Camera Operator: Calvin R.
Editor: Hal M.
Assistant Editor: Andrew R.
Animation Credits:
Character Designer/Animator: Jack Sherry
Character Rigger: Johara Dutton
Background/Prop Designer: M. Cody Wiley
Background Illustrator: Jagriti Khirwa

[@CSaffitz]

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us! The Dessert Person team is grateful for your continued support and subscriptions over the years.

[@ssenssel]

Thank you, for all the great free content! Cheers from Brazil. 💚💚💛💛

[@tracksuitJohn]

You're BIG and BEAUTIFUL girl don't listen to what everyone on the internet is saying about how OBESE you are becoming. You are PERFECT

[@rachaelhoffman-dachelet2763]

Happy thanksgiving to you and your team! I’m a wood fire potter and the guy I fire with builds pizza ovens as well as kilns etc. We build pizzas on a wooden peel, but turn it and remove it with a metal peel. And we really load it with wood to heat it. I agree that drying it out is key. I’m no expert, but my firing buddy is, and I’ve seen a bunch of pizza ovens, and yours is Amazing! Mad respect for running the bobcat and having such an intense foundation! Thanks for all you do.

[@harim9980]

Happy Thanksgiving Claire and Dessert Person team! ❤ from Chicago!

[@tomcuthbert-sayers1451]

brad leone collab, when?

[@valarya]

"I have no idea what I'm doing, I just read a bunch of stuff on the internet and watched a bunch of KZbin videos." -- never has Claire been more relatable 😂🥰

[@MrBarneyDinosaur]

This is honestly how I feel when I follow a recipe from one of Claire’s videos.

[@valarya]

@@MrBarneyDinosaur exactly 😅

[@petbird19]

The millennial Julia Child.

[@Sanity_Faire]

Explain: @@Souscheff

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

That's how all great stories begin.

[@tinab2053]

Claire treating building like baking is a crossover I didn't know I needed. It's so sweet. The baking words and skills used in building an oven are unexpected.

[@marianamartinezjimenez7145]

At some extent it is

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Claire has transferrable job skills.

[@crpCph]

Ikr, the way she was mixing mortar

[@neilerissmiller5735]

When she was talking about mortar and hydration! So good.

[@AndreaGonzalez-qf1cw]

An hour of Claire?!! This is a blessing❤

[@Fabdanc]

The comment I was coming to leave 😂

[@105hilltop]

i actually really appreciate how you show when things don't work the first time. it's so tiring to see cooking/baking content where everything works perfectly and nothing goes wrong, it's just not realistic. showing the trial and error and talking through the process of what went wrong and how to fix it is so useful and makes me feel a lot better when i make mistakes. cooking and baking are artistic practices as much as they are sciences and experimentation and failure are natural parts of the process.

[@cinemaocd1752]

Yes, in both the building and the baking, seeing the set-backs, road-blocks etc is key.

[@MrNexus32897]

This channel is such a wholesome and cozy place for me to just unwind and relax. Thanks so much Claire for being you and for providing such a cozy, yet informative and fun place to hang out.

[@dimafriday]

It's like Claire took "gourmet makes" kind of vibes of trial and error, and making everything from scratch. And like, how do you build an oven? I love it

[@kevinf42]

Yessss. Came here to say this too

[@jenniferspaeth2757]

I was so thinking this too!!

[@VigilantKnight005]

Seeing Claire so down-to-earth by acknowledging her mistakes and learning from them makes me appreciate her all the more.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

"It's pale, it's torn, it's got no bubbles, and it has soot over it... Other than that, it's perfect." That's the kind of positive affirmation I love.

[@kb2023]

Now I'm excited to see Claire bake apple pie in this new brick oven

[@NoxiousBlueCloud]

Claire is living the Stardew valley life and I'm all for it.

[@rkmugen]

Depending on whether you're left or right-handed, the position of the fire should be more on the side of the oven, opposite of your dominant hand, rather than all up in the center, of back of the oven. This will help you compensate for the loss of heat, towards the oven's opening. Also, you really need the metal, circular peel, which is meant for turning the pizza. if you have to use tongs, you'll deflate the crust. You should also consider having some fine wood shavings, which you can add to the fire, if you want an extra blast of heat, before loading the pizza in the oven. IIRC, the term for that is 'pampuglia'. This is supposed to improve the 'spring' in the dough.

[@tananario]

Good thing you told her what to do, after she’s built and used her oven! She clearly needed more unsolicited advice a year+ late!

[@zincfive]

@@tananario These are sound tips. Claire has been relying on the internet to get her tips, I doubt she's insulted by this.

[@letXeqX]

@@tananario This is very helpful advice for all of us reading the comment who are thinking of building an oven or just curious. Quite sure the op is aware of this. Personally I'm grateful, thanks op.

[@francescaferraro1902]

I have been loving Claire's recent pivot toward savory baking and cooking! I've been a Claire fan since 2017 and I'm so grateful for the amazing example she has set as a woman in the culinary arts. She strikes the perfect balance of educational-yet-entertaining content, and her personality just shines through. She feels like a friend. Thank you, Claire and team!!!

[@juancabrera9840]

I never would have guessed six years ago when the algorithm first introduced me to Claire making Twinkies that her accidently honking the horn on construction equipment would bring me nirvana.

[@lucybluemoon51]

Just fantastic. Claire + a procedural of ANYTHING = I click. To see her thought process, try, fail, try again, and succeed is so great.

[@ShannonAndy]

I seriously cheered when Claire finally got the oven hot enough and saw the final pizza look SO good!!!!! What an awesome girl power video, so proud of Claire for making such an awesome outdoor oven!

[@cptntwinkletoes]

I know right! The twist ending of it all working out warmed my heart

[@moiclarence]

Her proud giggles looking at the pizza was so cute and even kind of moving 🥹🥹

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

I practically cheered when the oven reached 700 degrees.

[@jenniferspaeth2757]

Right?! I kept looking to see how much time was left in the episode b/c I knew she was going to get it right.

[@gewurztramina]

Interesting adventure, but I don’t want a pizza oven for myself

[@mariayepes8213]

This woman is a complete marvel. Her determination, creativity problems solving and her ability to master so many skills just by simply trying. You are amazing Claire

[@draven_sword7092]

We need an update when you put the finishing touches on the oven! This was an absolutely amazing video, thank you Claire and team!

[@user-om3ue9jc8x]

This was a masterpiece!! Anyone else would have hired it out and had the oven built, used a glam team and then stood next to the oven with a new pizza peel. Claire is the real deal, so very relatable and I think you get a lot of your spunk from Sauci!! Can’t wait to see more episodes of baking in this marvelous brick oven and I am wishing a happy holiday season to the entire team…it does take a village! 😘

[@ABlueDahlia]

omg omg a one hour video from Claire on Thanksgiving! Soooo much love to you and your family! Thank you guys!!!

[@alicemorgan1243]

Claire driving a Bobcat ✨iconic✨

[@rainbowboyu]

I love all the episodes, but this one was byfar my favorite as of late. So wholesome, really.

[@saywink]

I think this was the first video besides the gingerbread house creation where you see even when Claire isn’t baking she’s a genius in general.

[@Chrispppp]

I am obsessed with these longer videos!

[@kwcreative]

Claire! i have to say I am seriously impressed with your adventure here. Kudos to you for building that oven out yourself!

[@Hollis_wants_your_comments]

So many learning experiences! And Claire did it herself. This is fascinating, and I'm drooling in anticipation of learning more alongside Claire the Baker and Oven Maker 😊 ETA: Worms are the best thing you can find when you dig! Read this book: EARTH, MOVED. All about worms, how they're responsible for making topsoil. Where would we be without them? Sure, your chickens will love them, but save some of them for your soil! They're fascinating little critters 😊

[@bigdezol]

Submit this for a daytime emmy immediately!!! Happy Turkey Day, Claire and all the dessert people!

[@SUPERSTUDIO17]

THATS FUCKING BADASS!!!! Claire built her own outdoor oven from scratch!?!?!? THATS CRAZY and so cool. The Baking x Building crossover was something I never would have imagined

[@mzimmerman1988]

Claire Saffitz x Heavy Machinery is the show I didn't know I needed :)

[@toin9898]

There's a lot in common between baking and construction. I replastered my whole house and the next time i went to frost a cake, I had suddenly become an expert ?? Turns out, drywall is a directly transferable skill to frosting.

[@mindys5555]

Claire is queen of taking a beat and coming back better than ever

[@TwoRagdolls]

Mesmerizing! Start to finish. Best "Best of Claire" episode ever. And Harris, such a good guy to say oven building has been trial and error since time began. The alumni gear also made me smile. Thanks!

[@jacobmcilvaine6731]

Congrats Claire! I was so excited when I saw this video since I also built a brick oven during covid. One piece of advice is you need a metal peel, and a wood peel like you opened in the video. The wood peel is great for putting the pizza in the oven and the metal peel makes it super easy to turn the pizza in the oven!

[@edwinbear7065]

This was so much fun to watch. I love watching you learn, I LOVED watching you build the oven. This was great. Thank you @KingArthurBakingCompany you make great stuff and this episode was great.

[@harutran4703]

I absolutely LOVE longer segment videos so thank you Claire, the production and editing team 🤗

[@jean-paulharrison1702]

10 million more subs should be be on this channel 😊. This is like comfort food for the mind I love it

[@CassBlast5]

Happy Thanksgiving, Claire! I made your caramelized honey pumpkin pie for the third year running and it’s gorgeous. I’ve made over twenty of your recipes, and I’ve learned so much from watching you! I owe my baking confidence and a lot of deliciousness to you! Thank you for adding goodness and beauty to the world. ❤

[@valdizos]

Lol. Just another reason to love Claire. She empowers women to try new things and she's hilarious!! Big fan for many years. This video brings back Gourmet Makes vibes.

[@arzulia]

Why did this episode remind me of Gourmet Makes when Claire would have a fail in one of the recipe attempts and miraculously fix it at the end?! Great job Claire!

[@minamansour1510]

Great episode. I am truly impressed at the effort you put into building your oven. I do have a tip about pizza peels. While wood peels are easier to slide on and off, you need more than 1 peel. Wood peel: good for building your pizza and sliding IN the oven. Metal peel: usually a lot thinner than wood, and it’s easier to get under the pizza once it’s in the oven. (Plus if your pizza is too close to the fire, the steel peel won’t singe) Turning peel: optional, but handy when you don’t want to take the pizza out of the oven every time to turn it by hand. I hope that helps. Looking forward to the next cook with this oven.

[@hangrymiss]

I honestly cried at the end. What an amazing achievement, Claire! I felt like I went on a journey with you. You should be so proud of yourself xx

[@aribazan]

I'm spending Thanksgiving away from family this year, but I'm so grateful for Claire & her team for bringing us these videos ❤

[@hectormorales8542]

This woman is a national treasure

[@LucarioBoricua]

National treasure? You mean a divine jewel of the entire Universe!

[@hectormorales8542]

@@LucarioBoricua my apologies I’d say you’re correct

[@mrs.garcia8055]

It’s proven with this episode that Claire can literally do anything and I would watch. So proud of you Claire for not giving up, oven looks great! 👏🏼

[@randomcookies29]

I ADORE long form videos and this is like a balm to the soul after a few very intense weeks. Thank you!

[@kellywright9791]

Claire never ceases to amaze me with her fortitude and can-do attitude! Her technique’s inspire me.

[@fluffernutter1477]

Claire you deserve all the respect for taking that project on yourself and following through and finishing it. Also, so much fun to watch

[@thereupon7475]

Part 2 of the pizza oven build please! Love love LOVE this long form content - food is so much more than just the recipes! 😊

[@burgulize]

OK. "Claire Builds" should definitely become a channel :D

[@nintandao64]

I loved this. We're so conditioned to expect perfection from every cooking video, it's nice to see Claire go through the full gambit of experiences you'd see troubleshooting your first attempts.

[@twinspice20]

Seeing Claire happy makes me so happy, bless her. Also loved this project, making your own brick oven is amazinggg, real life wonder woman

[@sarahlittle6286]

As someone who cooked in brick oven restaurants for 10 years, watching Claire struggle with this was so validating. I will say, one of the reasons the oven didn’t heat properly the first time was also because the stones had never been heated before. Stones hold heat, so the next time you’re looking to use the oven, set a fire in it the day before. It will heat up to 750 the next day!

[@graceb8659]

Not me crying when Claire finally made the pizza 🥺

[@luxunumbracrj4311]

Claire, I've been watching your content since mid-2019 when you were at BA, and I have to say it makes me so happy to see you succeed with your own channel and cookbooks. You're thriving in your element 👏 To have your videos sponsored by King Arthur flour AND Kerrygold butter is a big deal in the cooking world, and I'm proud to see how far you've come!

[@anyasnyder2310]

You are truly a breath of fresh air, Claire. Thank you for being you.

[@jianingchen1297]

Claire is so amazing. It’s inspiring to see someone who always improves and keeps learning, growing… Thank you for being you!

[@mrdavis8814]

I've definitely been enjoying the outdoor videos on this channel a lot. Looking forward to more pizza and bread videos with the new oven!

[@ellabiondi1251]

Claire you are a genius, loved your NYT Thanksgiving, but this is a total tour de force. Brilliant, congratulations!

[@audiomxr]

What makes Claire so popular is that she shares her learning curve with us. WHAT an undertaking! Kudos, Claire, for doing this and showing your audience that anyone can learn anything.

[@Mr.MinerAL]

Who would've guessed that a master cake-decorator/baker would make a great brick-mason? Hardly any overlap in skill... Fantastic work. Inspiring!

[@lionhearted99]

This is my favorite KZbin video of the year. Congrats on your 369-day pizza, Claire! Looking forward to seeing more videos that feature the earth oven 💪

[@MiguelDunham]

Seeing you being so vulnerable, showing your problems and frustration, makes this a great video and a big win! Thanks so much for putting this together!

[@itsonlyada]

Watching this hour long documentation of Claire’s apprehension and masterfulness is all I needed today

[@nansozi_doreen]

I enjoyed Claire the builder. We don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Africa but happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.

[@oijij]

The whole building process is so impressive and the video really is built as well as the oven! Congrats

[@perisasnett6210]

I LOVE this Claire building content! More please!! It's so great watching Claire apply her smarts, research skills, and general figuring-it-out to a project like this, and it's so encouraging seeing other women using tools and machines and building stuff, even when they're not experts. And an HOUR long?! It's a Christmas miracle!

[@rachellamorgese8793]

So grateful for Claire on this Thanksgiving!!❤

[@juliaw1034]

I love seeing Claire explore and succeed on a new project🎉

[@joaoantoniorosa9548]

I've been wanting to build an oven like this, and now I can, with how Claire explains it

[@colinfew6570]

This episode was incredible. Love it. Parts were so relaxing, it felt like ASMR others were hectic, with Claire swearing and frustrated. So good.

[@segatasanshiro21]

Thankful for Claire 🙏

[@JP-zg7qw]

This is basically an episode of gourmet makes and I’m loving it

[@toastiesin]

The Cal-Vinny-Claire combo is just so good. They always seem so good to each other

[@SamanthaNikoletta]

Claire's trial and error & little frustrated bits with the oven reminded me so much of what drew me to her in the BA test kitchen videos lol. this vid was a nice reminder that Claire still struggles with things sometimes (:

[@judegoldstein64]

so admire your other skill sets, claire. how down to earth you are, in so many ways. no make up, no jewelry, just lovely you.

[@user-td1dw7ez2d]

Never has a comments section been more wholesome and encouraging and I am so here for it.

[@Jake-op3nw]

Claire's nervous laughter is so relatable LMAODSKJLF

[@kimberlyayodele19]

By far one of my favourite episodes yet! Claire, you are such a badass for taking such a big project on! The video and editing was so much fun to watch! Didn’t feel like an hour at all!

[@heyitsme9258]

You are living my dream. I always wanted a pizza oven in my future home. I can not wait to see future episodes of you making bread and many other things with your oven!

[@texaschic84]

Claire, I'm so proud of you! You are so amazing and inspiring! Thank you so much for taking us on this journey with you! Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

[@chelseanyland]

"medium rare pizza" 😂 I love when Harris shows up

[@andrew5222]

the internet adores you and your vibrant energy. thank you for sharing.

[@juanpferreira]

More of this format! Trial and error is where you really shine. Loved the video

[@sandypeachus]

This was so enjoyable to watch. Really loved the authenticity and seeing you struggle with the first pizza. We make mistakes all the time and it's great to see sometimes you do too and it's okay. :D

[@echob7836]

I think it’s official that Claire can literally do anything

[@jessicamyers1490]

This video was some comforting & enjoyable! I was initially intimidated by the 1 hr but it was everything I needed. I was cheering for you the whole time. Claire you are so inspiring! Get it girl!

[@pudgealicious]

I'm so excited for Claire that it all worked out!

[@MichaelCraftAtHome]

I almost shed a tear when that final pizza cooked perfectly🥺 thanks for taking us on this journey with you!

[@wolfiee6209]

We need a Claire breads book next

[@Savvy-dj2jo]

this was genuinely one of the coolest things I've ever seen someone do wow

[@ThePlantasticNerd]

This was an absolute treat omg! Seeing the whole process and Claire being so proud of herself is so cute I almost can't handle it 😭 Our queen has done it again!

[@mmandrac1]

Wow Claire that is so impressive! I have so enjoyed your videos and have learned so much from you. Thanks for all the hours of enjoyment and the cooking and baking knowledge I have gained.

[@ks7343]

Wow! Just so much fun to see you in the oven building! Love your brick oven! Happy Thanksgiving 🍁🦃 Claire!

[@EmilyMarais]

When something goes wrong, try again and change things up! Love this episode, we can all do with being reminded that good things take time and persistence. Thanks Claire and team

[@psuengineer84]

Tip for doing masonry work. Saturate your blocks/bricks and let the surface dry before setting. When the blocks are bone dry they wick moisture from the mortar to the degree that it can reduce the strength/durability of the mortar. Nice job all in all! I can't build anything at my house without a neighbor calling the county on me.

[@tiacho2893]

Having strong flashbacks of "Gourmet Makes" Day 2 and Day 3 for a lot of this video.

[@jrdmgl6190]

'what were you thinking about doing up until this moment?' 'you know what I had like 14 ideas in my head but none of them were good and I didn't think any of them were going to work'

[@GypsyWomanWindy]

Claire!!! Wow!!! I am so impressed , I have wanted an outdoor oven like that for so long! Having lived in Sicily for 3 years , I feel this is the only way to properly cook a Pizza. My oven just doesn't come close. Happy Thanksgiving!! Nice to see Harris as well. 🍕🍕🍕🍕

[@s-o-o-z]

What an amazing episode. We're so lucky you shared the experience with us. Thank you

[@jenniferspaeth2757]

I am a little behind but I cannot tell you how much I LOVED this episode!! What you made is incredible! So inspiring! Thank you also for not just showing the done oven and the perfect pizza but the entire,= - ups and downs - of the journey. This is why we love you!