How to use a moka pot without burning the coffee

Every Italian kitchen has one of these. It's not technically espresso, because it brews at much lower pressure, but it's strong, rich and very hard to give up.

What you need

• A moka pot in the size you'll actually use. A 3-cup pot makes about two small servings.
• Coffee ground medium-fine, slightly coarser than espresso.
• Hot water from a kettle.

The method

1. Fill the bottom chamber with hot water up to just below the safety valve.
2. Fill the basket with coffee and level it with your finger. Don't tamp it.
3. Screw the pot together carefully, using a towel because the base is hot.
4. Put it on medium-low heat with the lid open.
5. When the coffee turns pale and the pot starts to sputter, take it off the heat and cool the base under cold running water.
6. Stir the coffee in the top chamber, then pour.

If it tastes wrong

• Bitter or burned: the heat was too high, or the pot stayed on too long. Use hot water to start, lower the heat, and take it off earlier.
• Sour or thin: the grind may be too coarse, or the basket wasn't full.
• Nothing's coming out: turn off the heat. The grind may be too fine or the coffee tamped. Let the pot cool completely before opening it.

Cleaning

Rinse it with hot water and let it dry fully apart. Follow the maker's instructions, and don't put an aluminum pot in the dishwasher. Replace the rubber gasket when it gets hard or leaks.