Fornetto da Fuoco: The Italian Stovetop Oven That Bakes Without an Oven

 

Fornetto da Fuoco

So I bought this curious Italian oven which sits on a gas cooker top. Outcomes to follow...

Recipes in Italian here https://blog.giallozafferano.it/crisemaxincucina/?s=fornetto+da+fuoco

All the following courtesy of Claude

If you've ever wanted to bake in a campervan, a tiny flat or a kitchen with a broken oven, the fornetto da fuoco is a clever answer. It's a humble piece of Italian cookware, and it turns a gas hob into a working oven.

What is a fornetto da fuoco?

The name means "little oven for the fire". It's a lightweight aluminium pot with a ring (doughnut) shape, a central chimney and a lid with small steam vents. A flame-spreader plate sits between the pot and the burner. It's often sold under the name Versilia, and it's similar in spirit to an Omnia oven, only taller. It also works inside a conventional oven if you want it to.

Why people like it:

- **No preheating.** It heats quickly, so it uses less gas than a full oven.
- **Tiny footprint.** Ideal for caravans, boats, small flats and holiday lets.
- **Versatile.** Ring cakes, bakes, gratins and small roasts all work.
- **Cheap.** Many models cost under €20 in Italy.

 A word on Mamù

One well-known version is the Mamù Janet 2.0, a tall 26 cm model. Mamù is the brand of Mario Mugnano Srl, an Italian maker of aluminium pots and pans. By the company's own account, the Mugnano family first entered the cookware trade in 1950 and the brand draws on more than 70 years of experience. That's a self-published history, so treat the finer details with care. The wider story of Italian aluminium cookware goes back further. Firms such as Agnelli in Bergamo began in the early 1900s, and when copper pots were requisitioned in the First World War, aluminium moved into home kitchens.

How to use it

1. Grease the pot and chimney well, and flour them for cakes.
2. Place the flame-spreader plate on the burner and the pot on top.
3. Keep the flame **low and steady**. High heat is the main cause of burnt bottoms.
4. Keep the lid on for the first half of cooking. The vent holes release steam, so you get no condensation.
5. Test with a skewer through the vent.
6. Dry the pot thoroughly after washing.

Cooking times run longer than in an oven and vary by hob, so treat all times below as guides.

Recipe 1: Classic ciambella (26 cm pot)

**Ingredients**
- 3 eggs
- 200 g caster sugar
- 125 ml sunflower oil
- 125 ml milk
- 250 g plain flour
- 16 g baking powder
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: 50 g flaked almonds and pine nuts for a ciambella del Duca style

**Method**
1. Grease and flour the pot and chimney.
2. Whisk the eggs and sugar for 3-4 minutes until pale and thick.
3. Add the oil, milk and zest, then fold in the sifted flour, baking powder and salt until smooth.
4. Pour into the pot (about two-thirds full) and scatter over the nuts if using.
5. Cook on the lowest flame for 40-50 minutes, without opening the lid for the first 30.
6. Rest for 10 minutes, then turn out.

Recipe 2: Potato, ham and cheese bake

**Ingredients**
- 700 g potatoes, thinly sliced
- 150 g cooked ham, chopped
- 150 g mozzarella or fontina, diced
- 50 g parmesan
- 2 eggs
- 150 ml milk
- Salt, pepper, nutmeg
- Olive oil

**Method**
1. Oil the pot.
2. Layer the potatoes, ham and cheese, finishing with potatoes.
3. Beat the eggs with the milk, parmesan and seasoning, then pour over.
4. Cook on low for 50-60 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden.

Recipe 3: Courgette and feta ring cake

**Ingredients**
- 3 eggs
- 100 ml oil
- 125 ml milk or yoghurt
- 250 g flour
- 16 g baking powder
- 300 g grated courgette, squeezed dry
- 100 g feta, crumbled
- 50 g parmesan
- Mint or basil, salt and pepper

**Method**
1. Whisk the eggs, oil and milk.
2. Fold in the flour and baking powder, then the courgette, cheeses and herbs.
3. Pour into the greased pot and cook on low for 45-50 minutes.

More ideas

- **Baked pasta:** part-cooked short pasta, tomato sauce, mozzarella and parmesan, pressed in and cooked on low for 25-30 minutes.
- **Chicken and potatoes:** brown thighs first, then cook with potatoes, onion and rosemary for 60-70 minutes. Check the chicken is cooked through before serving.

Is it worth buying?

If you bake occasionally, cook in small spaces or want a cheap backup oven, absolutely. Expect to learn your own hob's quirks over the first couple of bakes, and be patient with the heat.