How to use your moka pot

Five minutes, once you know the rhythm. Here is the whole thing.

Brewing

1. Boil water in a kettle. Starting hot means less time on the stove and a cleaner taste.
2. Fill the base just below the safety valve. Never above it.
3. Grind your beans fresh, medium-fine. About table salt. Pre-ground coffee goes stale in days.
4. Fill the funnel level. No tamping. Brush loose grounds off the rim so it seals.
5. Screw the top on tight. Use a towel, the base is hot.
6. Low heat, lid open, handle away from the flame.
7. Listen. When it starts to gurgle and the stream turns pale, take it off the heat.
8. Stir the top chamber once and pour.

Cleaning

9. Let it cool, take it apart, rinse with warm water only. Dry every part before you put it back together.
10. Never soap, never the dishwasher. Italians don't do more than a rinse. The coffee oils season the pot. Replace the gasket when it stops sealing, there is a spare in the box.

Three common mistakes

• Grinding too fine or tamping. The coffee comes out slow and bitter.
• High heat. It burns the coffee. Low and patient.
• Leaving it on after the gurgle. The last part is just steam and bitterness. Pull it early.