How to make perfect homemade Italian Espresso Coffe in 4 ways: with the classic Italian Moka Pot that you can find in every Italian home; with the traditional Neapolitan Pot that is the first coffee pot, invented in 1819; the classic and foamy homemade Italian Cappuccino; and the Iced Coffee, very popular in the south of Italy (Puglia – Apulia region) in hot days.
Italian people love coffee, so if you want to make a perfect Italian homemade Espresso, use high-quality Italian Moka ground coffee; you can even ground your coffee beans if you have a special coffee grinder.
MOKA POT COFFEE:
The Moka pot was invented in 1933 and is a coffee maker that brews coffee by passing boiling water pressurized by steam through ground coffee. It’s the most common coffee maker in Italy, every Italian family has got at least two (or more!) of it.
INGREDIENTS:
- Mineral Water
- Grounded Moka Espresso (High Quality)
- Sugar (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
- Add mineral water in the boiler (the lower part) just below the valve.
- Insert the funnel filter and fill it with high-quality Moka ground espresso: do not tamp or press the powder.
- Tightly screw the upper part of the pot onto the base.
- Cook over low heat (the flame isn’t larger than the bottom of the Moka pot) with the lid closed.
- Cook until the water boils and coffee comes out of the center post: there will be a gurgling sound during this process.
- When the top of the pot is full of coffee, remove immediately from or your coffee will taste burned.
- Before pouring coffee, stir it in the upper chamber with a teaspoon to equalize all the different coffee layers for optimum flavor.
- Serve it hot immediately.
- You can add some sugar and serve it with a small chocolate.
CAPPUCCINO:
Famous all around the world, in Italy it’s served in a small porcelain cup (150-160 ml). The traditional recipe is usually: 30 ml Coffee, 125 ml foamed milk, but in my video, I have used a bigger glass cup just for video occasion (and I love extra size Cappuccino.
INGREDIENTS: (1 serving)
- 150 ml (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons) Fresh Whole Full Fat Milk, chilled
- 40 ml (1/5 cup) Coffee made with Moka or Neapolitan Pot
- Sugar (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
- Prepare coffee in your Moka or Neapolitan Pot.
- Heat the milk in a small milk pot over low heat just until little small bubbles appear at the edges (60° C-150°F): do not boil it!
- Froth your milk using a milk frother for about 3-4 minutes until the foam increase in size and is smooth (not big air bubbles in it).
- Pour Coffee in your mug.
- Twirl the milk in the pan for few times to remove big air bubbles and pour the milk slowly in the coffee.
- Serve immediately with some cocoa powder on top (optional) and sugar (optional).
NEAPOLITAN POT COFFEE (“Cuccumella”):
Invented in 1819, it is the first traditional homemade coffee maker.
It is a drip brew coffeemaker for the stovetop. Unlike a Moka Pot, a “Napoletana” does not use the pressure of steam to force the water through the coffee, relying instead on gravity.
INGREDIENTS:
- Mineral Water
- Grounded Moka Espresso (High Quality)
- Sugar (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
- Add the required amount of Mineral Water (for serving) in the boiler without spout, not pass the little hole.
- Place ground coffee, without press it, in the tank’s opening and screw on the filter.
- Insert the tank with a filter containing ground coffee, and screw the two parts of the pot together.
- Cook over low heat (spout downwards) and bring water to a boil: steam starts to release from the small hole and from the spout.
- Remove from heat, turn the pot upsidedown and wait for about 2 minutes: the water starts passing through the filter, allowing the liquid coffee to collect in the lower portion.
- Serve it hot with sugar (optional).
ICED COFFEE:
Iced coffee is very popular in southern Italy, mostly in the Apulia region where it is called “Caffè e Ghiaccio”. It’s very refreshing in hot summer days! You have to drink it quickly to avoid ice melts and watery the coffee.
INGREDIENTS:
- Coffee made with Moka or Neapolitan pot
- Iced Cubes
- Sugar (optional)
DIRECTIONS:
- Prepare coffee in your Moka or Neapolitan Pot.
- Place 5-6 ice cubes just removed from the freezer in a glass and pour immediately the hot coffee.
- Serve immediately, the ice should not melt.
