Things heated up at La Bottega Toscana — in the best sense. In a compact hands-on test we put the Izzo oven up against four popular Turkish classics: peynirli pide, lahmacun, simit and açma. The goal was to push different doughs and baking profiles and to assess the results critically.
The practical test: four bakes, different requirements
The selection spans a wide range — from paper-thin and spicy to soft, airy and slightly sweet. That makes it easy to judge how evenly the oven bakes, how it handles moisture and how finely the heat can be tuned to each dough.
Results from the oven
Peynirli Pide – crisp edge, creamy filling
The elongated, boat-shaped cheese-filled pide produced a light, golden-brown edge in the test. The fresh cheese remained pleasantly creamy without drying out — a good combination of strong top heat and even base baking.
Lahmacun – thin, spicy and juicy
With the paper-thin lahmacun the balance is crucial: the dough should crisp while the spicy topping stays juicy. The Izzo oven handled this balance well; served with lemon juice and fresh herbs, the flatbread rolled up into a flavourful treat.
Simit & Açma – two doughs, two baking profiles
The sesame-seeded simit needs a crunchy exterior and an airy interior, while açma demands a soft, tender crumb. Both pastries benefited from being able to select suitable baking parameters: the simit developed a nicely browned crust, and the açma stayed fluffy with a slightly sweet crumb.
What the test reveals about the Izzo oven
Our impression from the baking day: the Izzo oven delivers even heat distribution and, depending on the style of bake, produces reliably crisp or airy results. The controls proved intuitive, and the baking parameters could be set so that both thin doughs and more voluminous doughs perform convincingly.
See it live and get advice
Would you like to see the Izzo oven and its possibilities in person? Visit our showroom or contact us for a personal consultation. Together we will find the setup that suits your needs — private use or for commercial catering.