How to Make an Espresso, The Italian Way

Follow these steps to make the perfect Italian espresso.

1. SELECT YOUR COFFEE BEANS

Beans cultivated in different areas will taste unique. Why not explore different options? You can also get ground coffee beans from your favourite cafe or store, so you don’t have to worry about the grinding size.

2. MEASURE HOW MUCH COFFEE YOU NEED

To make around 14 grams of espresso, start with 7-9 grams of ground coffee and the extraction takes 20 to 30 seconds. If you are grounding your own beans, make sure you set the grinder to fine ground (200-250µm).

3. PREPARE YOUR COFFEE MACHINE

Before you make a cup of espresso, release the filter holder from the group head and put the waste aside. Clean the filter holder with a microfiber cloth to ensure no leftover grounds remain inside.

4. PUT THE COFFEE INTO THE FILTER HOLDER

Put your 7-9 grams of ground coffee into the filter holder. You can use a kitchen scale to help you measure the weight precisely. There are also some grinders that let you set how much coffee it can grind each time you turn it on, so you’ll get precise measurements every time.

5. TAMPING

Distribute the ground coffee evenly, then press it down using a tamper. Tamping applies 20kg of force and a makes a perfect horizontal puck. Tamping gives you that delicious crema on top of your espresso, and ensures you extract the beans’ full flavour.

When tamping, apply even pressure. Remember, tamping too lightly won’t give you an effective extraction. Another helpful tip is to move your tamper in a circular motion. Don’t move it back and forth, as it might make an uneven dent in the puck.

6. FLUSH THE MACHINE

Flushing the machine involves letting hot water flow from the group head for a few seconds, before locking the portafilter. It’ll help clean the remaining grounds left on the group head so that you can remove traces from the previous extraction.

After flushing, attach the filter holder to the group head and start brewing your coffee.

7. EXTRACT THE ESPRESSO

Immediately put the coffee cup underneath the filter holder and wait for the extraction to finish.

That’s the authentic Italian way to make espresso!

MAKING YOUR ITALIAN ESPRESSO AT HOME

You might also be wondering how to make espresso at home. On the market you can find small machines for home use, very similar to ones used in coffee shops. However, they require a lot of care and attention to brew the perfect cup.

So, can you make espresso without a machine? If you want to achieve a bolder coffee but don't want to invest on all this technology, you can try using a Moka Pot or a French Press. The results won’t be quite the same as the ones you’ll get with a machine, but it’ll still taste delicious.