Espresso is one of the most popular types of coffee in the world. Like other things in life, I see Espresso as a vice, at least for those who can’t live without it. Espresso coffee is a type of coffee that needs to be prepared in a special way.
It can be made at home with an espresso machine, or you can simply buy it from your local cafe.
But what if you don’t have an espresso machine at home or find it too expensive?
Forgive me Espresso aficionados, but then the second best thing to espresso is coffee made using a Moka Pot.
What’s the difference you may ask?
Well, espresso brews coffee at around 6 bars to 9 bars of pressure at 95°C, and coffee brewed in a Moka pot uses around 1.5bars to 2 bars of pressure at around 100°C.
Does it change the taste?
Well for all practical reasons, for the average person I’d like to say no. But if you are a coffee enthusiast I’d then understand if you’d disagree. But you will agree with me if I say this is the easiest and cheapest way to make espresso at home.
Things you’ll need-
- Stovetop Espresso maker (Moka pot)
- Grounded Coffee beans (you can buy them or ground them yourself)
- Some drinking water
- Stovetop
Step 1: Preparation
Separate the Moka pot into 3 parts.
Step 2: Filling water
After cleaning your Moka pot, fill the lower chamber with drinking water.
Most Moka pots have a safety pressure valve, always make sure the water level is not above this valve (it’s the round thing usually made of brass).
Step 3: Fitting
Place the filter basket upon the lower chamber.
Step 4: Coffee Beans
Now it’s time to get your coffee beans ready. If it’s unground coffee, then it’s time to grind it. You want to have a more fine grind, but not as fine as espresso. It should be a bit more coarse.
Fill it so that the coffee powder is level with the brim of the filter basket. You can compact it down with a spoon if you like, but not too much.
A very fine grind will cause the Moka pot’s pressure valve to open. Don’t worry if it does. Just try again with a bit more coarse ground coffee beans this time.
Step 5: Reassembling the Moka pot
Now you have to screw back the top chamber and you are almost done!
Step 6: Patience
Just place it on the stovetop and let it do its thing. In a couple of minutes, your homemade espresso-Moka pot coffee will be ready.
Lower the heat once it starts to boil. And turn it off immediately once the top chamber of the Moka pot is almost filled.
Step 7: The most Important Step
You must now take time and enjoy your homemade espresso coffee.