Italy·No added fat or sugar
Caffè con la moka
The kitchen-stove classic, done without the burnt note
Nearly every Italian home coffee is a moka. Most are ruined by the same two habits: cold water and a roaring flame.
Espresso cup
Ratio
1:7
Time
4–5 min
Heat
Low and slow
Servings
1
Ingredients
- coffee, medium-fine (coarser than espresso)16 g
- hot water, into the base110 g
Method
1
Fill with hot water
Pre-boiled water, up to just under the safety valve. Cold water keeps the pot on the flame far longer and stews the grounds through the basket.
2
Fill the basket level
Spoon in, level off, do not tamp. A tamped moka basket builds pressure and pushes steam through the middle.
3
Assemble with a towel
The base is hot now. Screw the top on tight and put it on the smallest burner on low.
4
Lid open, watch it
When the coffee arrives it should be a steady honey-brown stream, not a spitting one.
5
Kill it at the gurgle
The moment it sputters, take it off and run the base under cold water. Everything after the gurgle is bitter steam.
Notes
- The Bialetti test: aim for the whole brew to run out over roughly 45 seconds. Faster means the flame is too high.
- Never wash with soap. Rinse hot, dry fully, store with the parts apart so the gasket does not sour.
What you need
- Moka pot