The cookware manual

Pentole Agnelli's cocottes are made with the best cast iron in the world. Enamelled cast iron is a carbon-rich iron alloy coated with an enamel composed primarily of glass.

This superior quality enamel allows for better resistance to thermal shock and scratches, and also makes cleaning easier.

It has the ideal properties for braising, roasting and caramelising.

Preferred by both amateurs and the greatest chefs, this enamel offers non-stick properties, so there is no need to grease the first time you use it.

Simplified cleaning and ease of use.

Cast iron is one of the materials that retains heat better, spreads it slowly and distributes it in a perfectly homogeneous way, whatever the hob or oven up to the table. Furthermore, the uniform distribution of heat prevents food from sticking and burning and slow cooking at low temperatures intensifies the taste. Enamelled cast iron also retains the cold just as well, making it suitable for storing food in the refrigerator.

The heavy lid recovers humidity and preserves the aromas inside the cocotte to give more flavor to the dishes.

Welcome back to a new chapter of " Choosing the right pot ". Today we talk about stainless steel cookware.

Stainless steel pans have several advantages, first of all they are very safe from a hygienic point of view, they have excellent resistance to thermal shock, abrasion, impact and corrosion.

They are particularly suitable for induction cooking if a ferritic steel disc is applied to the bottom.

Stainless steel is recommended for immersion cooking in which the heat is transmitted by the liquid in which the food is immersed and not by direct contact with the walls and bottom of the container.

On the other hand, they have a high specific weight and during cooking it is easy for splashes and splatters of food to char on the walls, given the different temperature compared to the bottom.

Energy saving is not optimal due to their poor ability to conduct heat and they are not very resistant to aggression from coarse salt. Furthermore, in stainless steel there are still moderate quantities of nickel and chromium.

Some useful tips before buying:

• Make sure it is 18/10 stainless steel, otherwise it may rust.
• The thickness of the aluminum disc, placed on the bottom to spread the heat, must be at least 6-7 mm.
• Add the salt only after boiling to prevent it from attacking the metal before melting.

This innovative cooking technology, through the generation of an electromagnetic field, translates into an improvement in performance, a reduction in consumption, an almost total absence of heat dispersion and an increase in safety in the kitchen.

Suffice it to say that induction hobs exploit the energy absorbed with a yield of 90% while traditional hobs, due to the nature of their operating principle, only yield 40%-60%, dispersing about half of the energy in the surrounding environment.

The operating principle of induction cooking can be summarized as follows: by placing a ferrous metal container on the hob, an underlying electric inductor creates a magnetic field which in turn generates a magnetism in the molecules of the container which causes it to heat up, the heat generated is then transferred to the contents of the container itself.

The electromagnetic field is generated only when the container is placed on the surface and is limited to the container only, so that the area around the container remains fast, guaranteeing greater safety and less energy dispersion.

Advantages of induction cooking:

• Safety : there are no flames, the heat is released by the magnetic field and only starting from the diameter of the pan in which you want to cook. There is therefore no risk of burning yourself by touching the plate near the edge.
• Cleaning : since the plate is not hot near the edge of the pots, no deposits form due to the accidental spillage of liquids.
• Design : for those who love the modern and minimalist style, the induction hobs are beautiful, linear, smooth without buttons.
• Speed: it takes practically half the time to bring a certain quantity of water to the boil compared to using a traditional gas or electric hob.
• Control : it is very precise in regulating the power which takes place via digital controls that are certainly more sensitive and precise than the traditional knob control of a gas fire.
• It is possible to cook with very low temperatures, deciding the duration of such cooking using the built-in timers.
• Heat homogeneity : the heat is generated over the entire surface of the pot in a uniform and controlled way, thus reducing the use of fat for cooking and giving the dishes a better appearance.
• Cost of use : no more than the consumption of a gas hob, electricity costs more, but the induction hob only comes into operation when needed, usage times are lower and efficiency is close to 90%.
• Absence of danger of gas leaks : often in modern houses the boiler for heating is not in the house but outside, the gas reaches the house only to feed the hob. Using the induction hob at home there will be no danger of gas leaks, furthermore it is not necessary to make the two perimeter holes required by law in the kitchen which represent a thermal and acoustic problem.

First chapter of " Choosing the right pot ". Today we talk about aluminum pans.

Aluminum pots are suitable for any type of cooking in which the heat is transmitted to the food directly in contact with the walls of the container ( brazing, roasting, oven cooking ), and are ideal for slow cooking over moderate heat, it happens that they are often also used for sauté cooking.

The aluminum pans are in fact characterized by excellent thermal conductivity, by a great convenience guaranteed by an exceptional quality / price ratio.

They allow considerable energy savings in the use of the hob and are very quick to wash. If the pan is of adequate thickness, it has excellent resistance to impact, abrasion, thermal shock and corrosion . It also needs no maintenance.

They are very light thanks to their low specific weight, which should not be underestimated for those who handle cooking tools for a long time as happens in the professional field.

They are particularly suitable for induction cooking if a ferritic steel disc is applied to the bottom.

On the other hand, they are not suitable for storing already cooked foods, especially if they are acidic or salty.

Some useful advice:

• Make sure the container is 99.5% pure aluminum.
• Avoid placing the empty container on the fire, i.e. without any food or liquid inside.

To drown

It consists of cooking food by immersing it in a liquid that does not exceed 80° in temperature. Even the bain-marie is considered a cooking technique by "drowning".

Shapes: High Casserole, Low Casserole, Bain-marie.

The Materials: Stainless Steel, Aluminum.

To roast

There are two types of roasting that can be done.

The best known is the baked one, the second on the spit. Roasting means cooking a food with a fatty substance and without added liquids. The temperature must initially be around 200° and then lowered to 150°/140° for cooking in the oven, while on the spit it starts at around 260° and then drops to around 180°.

Shapes: High Casserole, Low Casserole, Oval Casserole.

Materials: Aluminum, Tinned Copper.

Braise

The braising of a food is usually done for red meats, the same cooking technique for white meats or vegetables is called Glazing. The braising technique consists in browning the food with herbs, vegetables and fatty substances at a fairly high temperature. Then it is wetted with a brown base up to 1/3 and covered.

Shapes: Oval Casserole, Braising Pan, Rectangular Pan, High Casserole, Low Casserole, Gastronorm Baking Pan.

Materials: Aluminium, Tinned Copper, Soapstone.

To boil

Depending on the preparation to be made, a food can be boiled starting from cold or hot water. Boiling consists of cooking food in a container with liquid, with or without a lid, keeping it at a temperature slightly above 100°.

The Shapes: Pot, High Casserole, Fish Pot.

The Materials: Stainless Steel, Aluminum.

To caramelize

The caramelization operation is carried out by bringing the sugar inside a mold at a temperature of 175°. It is added to the sugar, at the moment of boiling, of the dried fruit and the operations of sandblasting and pralining will be carried out. Fruits and vegetables can also be caramelised.

Shapes: High Casserole, Low Casserole, Sugar Casserole, Bastardella.

Materials: Aluminum, Tinned Copper.

Foil cooking

The preparation of the pouch consists in placing the food, with the relative perfumes and condiments, on a thin sheet of aluminum or baking paper, forming a pouch and closing the ends in order to create a watertight seal. Cooking can be done in the oven or on a hot plate.

Shapes: Thin sheet.

The Materials: Aluminum.

Bake

The oven cooking technique must be carried out without the presence of liquids, fats or lids. It is usually used to cook preparations that require placing in molds or plates (bread, sponge cake, plum cake, etc…).

Shapes: Moulds, Rings, Shapes, Gastronorm Trays.

Materials: Aluminum, Non-stick Aluminum.

Grilled or grilled

It consists in arranging a food, usually lightly sautéed with seasoning, on a previously heated iron grate. A plate can be used as an alternative to the grill which can be produced in different materials.

Shapes: Grid, Plate.

Materials: Aluminum, Non-stick Aluminum.

Sauté cooking

Stir-fry cooking is the most used for ala carte cooking (sautéed potatoes, fish fillets, meat medallions, creaming of fresh and dried pasta, etc.) consists of cooking food with the addition of a minimum of fat or liquid substance inside a pan by performing a vertical or horizontal rotary movement.

Shapes: Low Flared Pan, High Flared Pan, Stirring Pan.

Materials: Aluminium, Non-stick Aluminium, Tinned Copper.

Steamed

It can be steamed in the oven, in a steamer, in bamboo baskets or in a pressure cooker. Steam cooking means ensuring that the food does not come into direct contact with water or other liquid but only with the water vapor produced by the liquid itself when it reaches a temperature usually above 100°.

Shapes: steamer, cylindrical baskets with lids.

The Materials: Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Bamboo.

To fry

Frying consists in immersing a food in a fatty substance (lard, extra virgin oil, clarified butter, etc…) at a temperature between 160° and 180° depending on the food.

Shapes: Frying pan.

The Materials: Iron.

Gratinate

It consists exclusively in producing a more or less thin crust on top of a cooked food. It is done in the oven between 260° and 300° or in a salamander.

Shapes: Gastronorm pan.

The Materials: Aluminum.

Stir

More than a cooking system, it is the operation that allows pasta and rice to be linked with the various ingredients used in the preparation of a dish. The operation is usually carried out by adding a fat inside the container used for the preparation of the recipe itself.

Shapes: Pan for creaming, High Flared Pan, Low Casserole.

The Materials: Aluminum, Copper.

Blanch and Blanch

Cooking method used to keep the color of the vegetables alive and usually to degrease the bones before using them in some preparations. It consists of putting the vegetables in boiling water for a few seconds and cooling them quickly in cold water and ice, while for the bones we start with cold water. It can also be whitened in oil at 130°.

The Shapes: High Casserole, Low Casserole, Pot.

The Materials: Aluminum, Stainless Steel.

Stew

As a cooking method, stewing does not only include the preparation of meat but also stews and the cooking of legumes. Stewing takes place by pouring a fatty substance with herbs and vegetables into a shape; they are sweated, the main food is added and it is lightly browned, then the liquid is added, covered and cooked over low heat.

Shapes: High Casserole, Low Casserole, Pan.

Materials: Aluminium, Tinned Copper, Soapstone.

Vacuum cooking at low temperatures

The vacuum technique at low temperatures is used to obtain amazing textures and flavours. A precisely controlled low temperature is used, obtaining uniform cooking and reducing food weight loss.

The Tools: Conventional Ovens (special program)