Introduction
Italians are very sensitive (earnest) about their Coffee. Thus the Italians focus on the quality of the Coffee over the quantity. That is why authentic Italian Coffee tastes incomparable to what commercial coffees we get from American coffee shops.
When talking about authentic Italian Coffee, we are referring to Espresso. In Italy, they refer to Coffee as 'un caffe.' It is simply Coffee made with Espresso.
So how do you make traditional/ authentic Italian Coffee? We will discuss that step by step in this article. So, welcome to our guide on "How to Make Authentic Italian Coffee."
If you need authentic Italian coffee ingredients, you can get them from Origini Italian Market, or even better, if you are around Miami you can come to our Italian Market and try it with us.
How to Make Authentic Italian Coffee
Authentic Italian Coffee means making Coffee with Espresso. But just having pure coffee bean ground does not mean you can make Espresso. You will need a couple more things. Among them, the most important one is Moka. Moka is an Italian coffee pot that has three parts. We will get to that part later.
So here are the things that you will need to make authentic Italian Coffee.
- Espresso coffee beans grinds
- Moka (Italian Coffee Pot)
- Fresh Water
- Sugar
Now let us show you the steps of making Authentic Italian Coffee traditionally.
Step 1: Preparing the Moka
The Moka is a very strange-looking metal cup. It has several parts, but there are three main parts, the base, the filter, and the top cup (chamber). Although it is a very strange-looking cup, it is a very integrated part of the Italian lifestyle.
There are many versions of the Moka Italian coffee pot, but the Bialetti coffee maker is the most standard and widely expected version.
To make Espresso, you first need to disassemble the Moka into its three parts and clean them. Now we move to the next step.
Step 2: Fill the Base of the Moka with Water
The next step is to fill the base of the Moka pot with clean water. In the traditional method, Italians use tap water to serve the base. With the water temperature, real connoisseurs will notice the Coffee's flavor difference in response to the different temperatures of the water. Otherwise, the temperature does not affect the taste of the Coffee that much. We recommend that you fill it with room temperature water or whatever temperature the tap water is at. Because ultimately, you will be heating the pot and boiling the water. But make sure to fill it up with water up to the fill line.
Step 3: Put the Filter on Top of the Base and Place the Coffee Grounds
In the next part, you will need to place the metal coffee bean filter on top of the base. Then put some spoons of coffee grinds in the filter. Do not push/ pack the coffee grounds in the filter.
If you pack the coffee grounds in the filter, water cannot get through the filter and reach the top chamber.
Note: Ensure the espresso beans are adequately ground to get the best brew out of them.
Step 4: Screw the Top Cup of the Moka
Now screw the top cup back into the Moka very tightly. Any leak in the Moka can cause a big and hot watery mess on your stove, and you will not have any Moka. The mechanism of the Moka requires you to seal it tightly and make it waterproof.
Step 5: Place the Moka on the Stove
Yes, now we will place the Moka on the stove and light up the fire. The stove should be at medium temperature to get the perfect brew.
The way a Moka works is that the water in the base will warm up and be pushed to the top chamber through the metal piping, aka the protrusion. It runs through the coffee filter to the top of the top chamber. If the temperature is too high, the water will be pushed up too fast, carrying less flavor from the coffee grounds. Low heat will not be enough to push the water to the top.
So put the stove on medium heat. It will take about 5 minutes for the Espresso to be ready. Now, if you want to ensure that the Moka is operating correctly, you can check it by lifting the top of the top chamber. The Moka is working well if you see Coffee coming out through the protrusion.
Step 6: Wait for the Right Moment
The right moment to take the Moka off the stove is when it starts making a rumbling sound. That indicates that the water in the base has reached the bottom and is pushed to the top chamber.
What happens if you do not take off the Moka and leave it there for more time? The heat of the fire will also boil the water in the top chamber, leaving a burning smell all over the apartment. Or the Coffee on the top chamber may be pushed out of it and create a hot espresso mess on the stove.
So we suggest you do not leave the site of your Moka when you place it on the stove. It takes only five minutes, so better to stay in sight and make the best Authentic Italian Coffee.
Step 7: Prepare Cremina (Sugar Cream) to Add to your Espresso
You can drink the Espresso out of the Moka as it is. But if you want to add some sweetness, you must prepare cremina/ sugar cream. Here's how you will make cremina.
Take 2-3 teaspoons of Espresso and 3-4 teaspoons of sugar into a coffee cup. It will make enough cremina for 3 cups of Espresso.
Stir them both with a spoon. Stir fast to break the sugar down, and keep stirring. The cremina will be ready when the mixture gets a light caramel color.
Step 8: Enjoy your Espresso and Wash the Moka
Mix the Espresso with the cremina and enjoy your cup of authentic Italian Coffee. Now do remember to wash the Moka. Otherwise, the filter and the protrusion will get clogged with dried-up Espresso. It will ultimately render the Moka useless.
So after every brew of Espresso, make sure to wash the Moka with water. No need to use soup as the Moka quickly catches the scent of soup.
Conclusion
So that is how you make Authentic Italian Coffee (Espresso) in the traditional Italian method. All you need is Espresso beans and an Italian coffee pot (Moka). The Italians value the quality of their Coffee over quantity, and that should be your focus as well. Make sure that the beans are adequately grounded and that they are not packed in the Moka filter. Also, make sure not to overfill the Moka base. It will ruin the balance of the Espresso and ruin the taste. Most importantly, wash (rinsing with water) the Moka before and after making Coffee.
If you follow all of our steps correctly, you will enjoy a nice cup of Authentic Italian coffee brew at home. Check out Origini Italian Market if you need any ingredients for your Coffee or come by our Miami store and try our Italian coffee!