Italian Terracotta Cookware And Cooking

[Gala Placidia]

Some of my favourite pots, pans and baking dishes are "terracotta" ones and mainly Italian. There is a brand called "Piral" that makes absolute beauties.... although not very cheap. They are the equivalent of "Le Creuset", the French brand for terracotta.
Although they say that it is OK to use them on electric stoves and cooktops using diffusers I find that they are better when cooking on gas. The electric oven does not make a big difference.
There are cheaper versions of the Piral cookware and they are also good. If you use one of the large rectangular pans to bake a piglet with just olive oil, rosemary and lemon juice in a medium oven, you will notice the difference in texture and taste.
Before using these pots and pans you should immerse them in very hot water for half an hour.
Here is a video on the fabrication of these wonderful pieces:

YouTube - Italian Made Terra Cotta Cookware

[Luce Dell'Amore]

Originally Posted by Gala Placidia

Before using these pots and pans you should immerse them in very hot water for half an hour.

Per quale ragione?

[Gala Placidia]

The reason? I am not quite sure. Originally, they used to say that it was to eliminate any lead that it could contain. Apparently, the glaze contains some lead.... I am not quite sure that it would be the case nowadays. Anyway, I have always done it and I have not had any pot or saucepan cracked.
There are two other methods as well:
1) To boil some water in the pan before using it with food
2) To rub with garlic and allow to dry overnight. (I have never done this as I feel it would live some garlic taste and I may not want to use garlic in the recipe.
To bake cakes or pastry it is possible to do it, but you have to immerse the baking dish for 15 minutes in cold water before using it.
This is also recommended for the Römmertopf bakeware.
Another important thing is to always use wooden utensils. No metal.
And be careful about changes in temperature. Never put a hot terracotta pan on top of a cold surface.

[borrini]

Oh Gala I am just thinking about that poor little piglet. Hope you didn't cook him with his head and tail on..... and what about his trotters.......

[Gala Placidia]

Traditionally, it is cooked with head, tail, etc... butterly opened... But I must confess that I cannot see the head and tail if I have to cook it, so I ask the butcher to remove them. It is delicious, though.....
I have the same problem with fish.... I cannot see the heads.
As for throwing a live crab or lobster in a large pot of boiling water.... I'd rather die of starvation. Some things, I can't simply do. I may have to become a vegetarian if I keep on going like this.

[borrini]

I feel exactly the same. We had chickens and turkeys etc when I was a child but my parents had to tell me they bought the meat on the table.... it wasn't the one that had gone missing......
I am quite happy to go to the butcher or supermarket and buy a lump of whatever in a pack..... they couldn't possibly have lived, running about in fields etc.

[Gala Placidia]

Terracotta cookware is ideal to cook some Italian classics such as "Ossobucco" or veal shanks Italian style. Just use your favourite recipe. Or perhaps someone would like to give it to us. I have a few, but I am always giving recipes so it would be nice to get something different.
Also, I don't know if you are keen on using a slow cooker or crockpot. Actually, the insert is the basic glazed terracotta pot. Ideal for certain dishes and you can cook a great whole chicken in it. Put it in the pot in the morning after cleaning and pat drying it with kitchen towels. Add plenty of salt and pepper. Fill up the cavity of the chicken with some herbs and two half lemons. Add a bit of lemon juice on top. Switch it on Low.... and it will be ready to eat 8 hours later. For a crispy chicken, after cooking cut it into serving pieces. Put them in a baking tray basting the pieces with some of the juices from the crockpot and a bit more of lemon juice and bake them for a few minutes in a hot oven or under the grill.

[Sally Donaldson]

Gala you are excelling yourself these days - Thank you.

[Carole B]

I have one large terracotta casserole dish with lid (not seen in the photo) which I bought from a small pottery on the Isola D'Elba some 15 years ago. I was given strict instructions by the owner of the pottery to be sure to immerse it in cold water for at least 24 hours before using it for the first time. I obviously asked him why, and was told that it ensured that it's earthy smell would then never penetrate any food cooked in it. I did as instructed and it has never had a strange smell when being used in the oven.

I also bought an 'Etruscan' design enamelled terracotta 'pasta set' at the same time, and never soaked this in water at the outset. I do occaisionally heat things in the microwave in the smaller dishes and a couple of them have developed cracks...

[Gala Placidia]

It is always advisable to follow manufacturer's instructions for each individual piece. They know what is best. I have a "tajine" purchased in Morocco and this one had to soak for 24 hours in soapy water!!!! As for microwaves, I have also that it is not advisable to use terracotta to cook in them and I have never done it. Some say that it is OK if you soad the pot or casserole for 15 minutes prior to using them.... I do not dare doing it. Also, as I said before, soak the container for 15 minutes prior to use it for baking.
For stove top/microwave/baking I find that the best casseroles and pots are made in France under the Corning brand in France. They are generally white, sometimes with a small pattern. Some of the pieces I have are over 20 years old and they are in perfect condition.
Carole, I love your set, the one with the birds, it's gorgeous.