Cooking oven and method of manufacture

An oven comprising:

• a base comprising a substantially flat cooking surface for receiving food to be cooked and burning solid fuel on different areas of the cooking surface;
• a dome comprising a plurality of separate fire-resistant sectors each defined by edges extending outwardly and curved downwardly from a narrow end to a large end, the edges comprising convolutions that interfit with abutting edges of adjacent sectors, fire-resistant mortar joining the abutting edges together to form a substantially air-tight seam between them, and a central plug at the top of the dome sealed to the narrow end of each of the sectors by the fire-resistant mortar, the large ends of a plurality of the sectors forming an edge resting on the base;
• only a single opening in the dome, the lower edge of the opening being defined by the base and the upper edge of the opening being below the level of the top of the dome;
• walls forming an entranceway around the main opening and extending outwardly from the dome;
• a flue extending upwardly from the entranceway walls and in front of the outermost part of the opening so that combustion products from burning solid fuel on the cooking surface under the dome will travel substantially horizontally in the space defined by the cooking surface and the dome to escape through the opening to the flue;
• and
• a closure attached to at least one of the entranceway walls and movable to a first position covering the entranceway for placing the fuel and food directly on the different areas of the cooking surface.