Who doesn't love the Bialetti? It reminds you of your last vacation in Italy and is certainly a classic accessory in every student kitchen. Just small, handy and quickly brewed - perfect for a great espresso-like coffee.
Clear advantages are that it brews coffee quickly and is also easy to clean. A moka pot works by forcing pressurized boiling water up through ground coffee from the lower chamber.
Patented in 1933 by Italian engineer Alfonso Bialetti, the moka pot is a stylish preparation tool. Today, it is still impossible to imagine any Italian kitchen without it. Not only Bialetti, but also a variety of other manufacturers produce moka pots, most of which are based on the original design from the 1930s.
Making coffee with a moka pot only takes a few minutes, making it a great way to prepare your espresso when you're short on time.
Our suggested recipe:
Time needed: 3 to 4 minutes.
Step by Step:
Before you begin, fill your kettle with drinking water (you can also use tap water, but keep in mind that the mineral composition can have unexpected effects on your coffee) and bring it to a boil. Using hot water in a moka pot avoids giving the coffee a metallic taste, which is often the result of boiling cold water in the moka pot.
1. The first step in making coffee in a moka pot is to weigh and grind your coffee beans. For a four-cup Bialetti moka pot, you will need (our suggestion) coffee that is as finely ground as you would need for an espresso machine.
Weigh and grind your coffee, then set it aside for a moment. Once your kettle comes to a boil, pour the boiling water into the bottom of the moka pot. Make sure you only fill the water to just below the safety valve. 3.
Insert the metal filter into the bottom of the moka pot. It should sit on top of the bottom part of the moka pot. Carefully pour your ground coffee into the filter and distribute it evenly with your finger so that the top of the ground coffee is flat. Do not press the coffee powder too hard. Tip to make the sealing ring last as long as possible: don't leave coffee crumbs on the rim.
Once you have distributed the coffee in the filter, put the top of the moka pot on and screw the bialetti shut. The hot water will make the bottom of the moka pot quite hot, so wear an oven mitt or use a tea towel to get a better grip on the pot.
After assembling the pot, place it on the stove with the lid closed over medium heat. When the hot water in the lower part of the pot begins to boil, the resulting pressure will push it through the coffee into the upper part of the moka pot.
The coffee should flow slowly into the upper part. If it goes through too quickly and spills out of the moka pot spout, the temperature is too high. If it barely goes through, you need to increase the heat (or press the coffee less firmly).
Let the coffee cool for a moment or two. If you're using a gas stove, make sure the handle of the moka pot has cooled before you pour it, as it can occasionally absorb heat from the flame.
Happy Brewing!
