Use and Care Manual

Sicilia Use
Curing and Using your Oven
Make sure oven is positioned 18” from combustibles.
MPORTANT!!
It is VERY important to cure your Fontana Oven in the proper way. After first assembling your
oven, build a small fire in the fire chamber and burn at a MINIMAL heat for 3 hrs. This curing
process is done in order to burn any excess oil residue in the oven, but more importantly cures the
exterior paint of the unit. Failure to follow instructions could result in “bubbling” and/or
discoloring of the exterior paint. Once the unit has been cured, your oven is ready for use.
In order to heat the oven, place a small amount of dry kindling in the burn chamber and begin the fire using
old paper or starter. Add small amounts of wood to achieve the desired cooking temperature. The airflow
can be controlled both by the damper on the fire chamber door and by the damper valve on the chimney.
The damper is open when in the vertical position. When the door is closed, a natural draft insures easy
lighting.
Your Fontana oven is very efficient, using five times less wood than a traditional wood-burning oven. Do
not overload the burn chamber. After several uses, you will become very comfortable in knowing how
much wood to use to achieve differing temperature ranges. Once the desired temperature is achieved, the
damper and valve can be partially closed in order to retain heat and have less heat loss through the
chimney.
IMPORTANT! Do not overheat your oven. You can damage the thermometer and oven with excessive
heat. Start with small amounts of wood and slowly build up to the proper temperature.
The radiant heat, coming from all directions, cooks food more evenly than a traditional oven. The curved,
vaulted top give the same results found in traditional brick ovens. The Sicilia model also is equipped with
both an internal light and a convection fan that can be turned on for even heat distribution allowing one to
cook on multiple levels simultaneously.
Please note your Fontana oven, made in Italy, has a temperature gauge in Celsius.
IMPORTANT
*Oven can be hot during use. Use caution when touching oven and handle. It is best to use an oven mitt.
*Periodically check screws to insure they do not loosen with use.
*While oven is portable, move with extreme care.
*Keep temperature within the ‘normal’ range (not above 700° F) Exceeding normal temperature range will
void warranty
*Do not modify oven in any way
*Intended for exterior home use