Stovetop Espresso Pots
Morning coffee , the Italian way...
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In Italy, no home is without one of these little stovetop pots. The most famous brand is the Moka Express, so these pots are often called 'Moka' coffeepots.
Follow these steps when using a stovetop coffeepot:
1. Prepare
Make sure all your equipment is cleaned to remove any rancid coffee oils from a previous brew, and rinsed to remove any detergent residue.
2. Add Water
Fill the pot with fresh water, being careful to fill to just below the safety valve and no higher.
Depending on the quality of your water, you may find that using filtered water significantly improves the taste of your coffee. In any case, you should always use fresh water, and not the water that's been sitting in the kettle all night.
3. Grind
You will need a fine, espresso grind of dark roasted coffee. A high quality grinder will produce the best finely ground coffee. Our article on coffee grinders covers all you need to know. If you find there is sediment in your brew, choose a slightly coarser grind, but still finer than you would use for a filter coffee machine.
4. Add Coffee
Fill the brew basket with your finely ground coffee. Make sure the basket is gently packed - do not tamp. Use your finger to sweep off excess grounds and level the top of the basket.
Each pot makes a set amount of coffee. You should not try to make less coffee by under-filling the basket, or to make more by over-filling and compacting too tightly. This will affect the extraction process and may result in either bitter, or weak, coffee. If you need a different number of cups you should buy the appropriately sized pot.
5. Assemble
Set the brew basket into the mouth of the lower half of the pot. Check that the rubber seal and top filter are properly fitted into the top half of the pot. Carefully screw the top half onto the bottom half and tighten.
6. Brew
Start the brew on a medium-high heat until you hear the espresso rumblings. Once this starts, lower the heat to a minimum. When the noises become intermittent, turn off the heat and wait for them to stop completely. If you are unsure the pot has finished brewing, check the liquid level in the top pot at any time.
7. Serve
Pour carefully from the coffeepot into pre-warmed cups. Remember that one serve from these pots is ~30ml. Many Italians will heat a saucepan of milk when making their morning coffee… pour both into a large mug and enjoy!
When buying a Stovetop Espresso Pot …
A few points to consider:
1. Look for heavy stainless steel to avoid rust. Aluminum pots will not last as long as stainless steel.
2. Check that the handle is heat resistant.
3. Make sure you buy the correct size pot for the number of cups you will serve.
4. Sometimes stovetops are an odd shape and the smaller sized pots will be unstable during brewing. To avoid this, check the size of your smallest home hotplate before you buy, and make sure the pot you buy is not too small.
Check out these Stove Top Espresso pots …
Electric & Anodized Stovetops
from Cooking.com
Electric  |
Click here to buy at Cooking.com:
Electric Moka Espresso Maker
From Cooking.com: "In just a few simple steps, you can enjoy a bistro-style espresso from your own kitchen. This Electric Moka looks much like the traditional Italian espresso makers, with an octagon-shaped design and aluminum exterior. The unit detaches from the base to travel where you are: in the office, on the patio, even at your bedside…" |
Anodized   |
Click here to buy at Cooking.com:
Black Anodized Aluminum Stovetop Espresso Maker
From Cooking.com: "Produce piping hot cups of espresso right on your stove using the 6-cup Stovetop Espresso Maker. Made in Italy of black, anodized aluminum." |
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