Oval frying pan – 3

Description

Important

Before using the object for the first time and only once, wash it well first and then fill half of the pan with water and let it cook during 30 minutes in the oven on 200 C.

Observations

The spots you see on the objects are not imperfections but the consequence of the baking and smoking process.  Speckles and dimples are typical characteristics of the clay type.

IMPORTANT TO KNOW

• Cooking in clay is different than cooking in metal. The clay retains heat and moisture enabling a slow, even, ‘from the bottom up’ cooking.  Because the clay absorbs moisture, there is less harsh steam in the pot, so food is able to cook in its own juices and not dry out.
• The foods emerge from La Chamba pots tasting earthier and with a creamier texture.
• The heat and moisture circulate through the pot and spreads evenly through the entire pot during cooking, unlike with metal or enamel-lined pots.
• It retains heat, keeping food warm for a long time after it’s left the oven, stove, or the microwave.
• The moist enclosed interior in the pot results in food that is healthier, tastier, and moist requiring less fat and liquids.
• The black pottery is not only beautiful, but it is also quite sturdy and will last many years with proper use and care.
• If used directly on fire, as it happens with any other type of pan, the bottom of the pot can change color. It could acquire a reddish color, showing the layer of red clay used before the smoking process.

TIPS

• For gas cooktops, you may use a diffuser or the lowest heat setting.
• For electric cooktops, it’s preferable to use a diffuser.
• Smooth, hand-burnished surface provides ease of cleaning. For difficult areas to clean, first soak for a few minutes in water, then scrub with a soft abrasive pad. Do not use metallic scouring pads. Dishwasher safe, but we recommend hand washing to give the best care to your earthenware.
• Earthenware does not like extreme temperature changes. For example, do not take a pot cold from the refrigerator and place it directly on a stovetop or in a hot oven;  it may crack.
• Periodically rub inside cooking surface with olive oil to help maintain smooth, unblemished surface.
• Please keep in mind when cooking in clay, the cookware does not like quick, extreme temperature changes. This is important to remember when you are beginning the cooking process in a clay pot, especially if your pot is new. When you start your cooking with a clay pot, the process is opposite of what you would normally do with a metal pan.
• With a metal pan, you start the heat high to get up to temperature quickly, then turn the heat down to where you want it. With a clay pot, you start the heat LOW, then gradually increase the temperature over the course of 5 minutes or so to where you want it. The highest temperature you should take your pot on a gas stove without a heat diffuser is medium-low. With a diffuser, there is a bit more leeway, but you should never take your pot much above medium heat even with a diffuser. You will find if you do, that things will quickly start to burn, so lower the temperature when the pan is hot. Just be patient when your pot is heating up and you will soon be cooking away!