Sunday Dinner: Bread Oven & All-in-One Pan

The Sunday Dinner pairing splits a big meal into two manageable pieces: the bread oven handles the oven side of the meal, from covered bread baking to roasting, while the ceramic all-in-one pan covers the sauteing, searing, and simmering on the side. Here are four ways to put them to work together.

No-Knead Artisan Bread

Makes 1 loaf · About 18 hours, mostly rise time (1 hour active)

Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1.5 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp instant yeast, 1.5 cups warm water.

1. Mix flour, salt, and yeast in a bowl. Add water and stir until a shaggy dough forms — no kneading needed.
2. Cover and let rise at room temperature 12-18 hours, until doubled and bubbly.
3. Turn onto a floured surface, shape into a ball, and rest 30 minutes under a towel.
4. Bread oven: Place the empty bread oven — base and lid together — into a cold oven, then heat to 230°C (450°F), letting it preheat for 30 minutes with the vessel inside — a common approach for enclosed cast iron bread baking.
5. Bread oven: Carefully place the dough into the hot base (parchment paper makes this easier), cover with the lid, and bake covered for 30 minutes.
6. Bread oven: Remove the lid and bake uncovered 10-15 minutes more, until deep golden and hollow-sounding when tapped.

Slow-Braised Pot Roast with Carrots & Potatoes

Serves 4 · About 3.5 hours · Use a smaller roast and check that it fits the base before you start

Ingredients: 1kg chuck roast, 3 carrots (chunked), 3 small potatoes (quartered), 1 onion (sliced), 2 cloves garlic (minced), 2 cups beef broth, 1.5 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp thyme, salt, pepper, oil.

1. Ceramic pan: Season the roast and sear on all sides in hot oil until deeply browned, about 8 minutes total. Remove.
2. Ceramic pan: Saute onion and garlic 3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, cook 1 minute.
3. Bread oven: Transfer the roast and aromatics to the bread oven base. Add broth, thyme, carrots, and potatoes — the liquid should come partway up the roast, not submerge it.
4. Bread oven: Cover with the lid and braise at 160°C (325°F) for 3 hours, until fork-tender.

Oven-Roasted Whole Chicken with Root Vegetables

Serves 4 · About 1 hour 40 minutes · Use a smaller bird and check that it fits the base before you start

Ingredients: 1 whole chicken (about 1.3-1.5kg), 3 carrots (chunked small), 3 small potatoes (chunked small), 1 onion (quartered), 1 lemon (halved), 3 garlic cloves (lightly crushed), olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary.

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. Bread oven: Pat the chicken dry, rub with oil, and season with salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary. Stuff the cavity with lemon and garlic.
3. Bread oven: Place the chicken breast-side up in the base. Do not use the lid — roast uncovered the entire time for crisp skin. Roast 20 minutes at 200°C to begin browning.
4. Ceramic pan: Meanwhile, toss carrots, potatoes, and onion (cut into small chunks for reliable tenderness) with oil, salt, and pepper. Saute over medium-high 6-8 minutes until lightly coloured — they don't need to fully cook yet.
5. Bread oven: Reduce the oven to 190°C (375°F) after the first 20 minutes. Continue roasting uncovered 40-55 minutes more. A whole bird needs a higher safe temperature than individual pieces — check that it reaches 82°C (180°F) at the thickest part of the breast, away from bone.
6. Ceramic pan: Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and finish the vegetables 12-18 minutes until tender (add a splash of water if needed) — check the potatoes, as small dice cooks faster than the carrots and onion.
7. Rest the chicken uncovered 10-15 minutes before carving. Serve with the vegetables from the ceramic pan.

Rustic Herb Focaccia

Serves 4-6 · About 2 hours, mostly rise time (25 minutes active) · A smaller, thicker focaccia baked in the bread oven's base

Ingredients: 2 cups bread flour, 1 tsp instant yeast, 1 tsp salt, 7/8 cup warm water, 3 tbsp olive oil (plus more for drizzling), 1 tbsp fresh rosemary (chopped), flaky salt.

1. Mix flour, yeast, and salt. Add water and olive oil, mix until a sticky dough forms.
2. Cover and let rise 1-1.5 hours, until doubled.
3. Bread oven base only, lid off: Oil the base generously, press the dough in, and dimple it with your fingers all over.
4. Cover loosely and let rise 25 minutes more. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with rosemary and flaky salt.
5. Bread oven, lid off: Bake at 220°C (425°F) for 20-25 minutes, until golden.

Get the set: Shop the Cast Iron Bread Oven and the All-in-One Plus Pan. New to the bread oven? Our usage guide covers the basics before you start baking.

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The Elmly Family