With The pressure cooker and its use, I want to tell you how it was born, but above all how to use it and what its characteristics are, so that even the most fearful people start cooking with it calmly.
Designed by Denis Papin in 1679, the first prototype was not very successful, and only after World War II, a French company patented a significantly improved model.
But it is from the 1950s onwards that increasingly advanced and safe models have been created.
I personally own a 3.5-liter one, two 5-liter ones, and a 7-liter one, because when needed, I don’t want to be without.
From whom did I learn to cook with a pressure cooker? Naturally from my mom.
I remember when I started taking my first steps in the kitchen, at about 12 years old, she already had two…we are talking about 45 years ago.
At the time, it must be said, they were not as safe as today, in fact, there was also no second vent valve on the lid.
Yet I watched my mother handle it with such calm, and even then she already thought it was the best method of cooking.
So growing up, I followed in her footsteps, teaching anyone, relatives and friends, how to use it.
For those who want to start getting familiar with this type of cooking, I recommend starting with the smaller one.
This way you will have less waste if you can’t get the timing right…but you will see it will be an immediate success and a great love!
These are pots that obviously don’t come cheap, but for a good product that lasts over time, the right investment is needed.
I have been married for 20 years now, and my pots are still like new.
If you are interested in buying them, I can tell you the brand and model I have at home: Lagostina classic 3.5l – Lagostina classic 5l – Lagostina classic 7l
There are also accessories, those I use the most:
Scodello – Basket – Grill
If you choose another brand and model, make sure you choose a pot with a bottom at least 0.4 inches thick, because this really makes the difference.
For those who want to try immediately, here are links to some recipes:
Minestrone cooked in a pressure cooker
Meatloaf cooked in a pressure cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
The pressure cooker and its use
Using the pressure cooker means exploiting the properties of steam because the food we will cook in it will need a varying amount of water depending on the quantities.
The water contained in the pot, hermetically sealed with its special lid, when brought to a boil, creates internal steam that occupies all the available space.
Unable to escape, the steam itself causes an increase in pressure, which also corresponds to an increase in temperature.
The valve on the lid, to ensure internal balance, releases the excess steam.
The food placed inside cooks in steam, maintaining a very high temperature but for short periods.
By doing this, the exposure of food to heat and oxygen, which would cause oxidation, is really very limited.
Therefore, the food retains its nutritional elements, losing only a minimal part of the vitamins and minerals that are generally dispersed when cooking traditionally.
Precisely because both vitamins and minerals remain well attached to the food, they will lose less flavor and brightness, so will be tastier and more colorful, and will also require less salt.
In a traditional pot, once the water starts to boil (212°F), the steam escapes and disperses into the environment, thus also losing the nutritional elements, especially the vitamins, which degrade if exposed to light or prolonged heat.
With the pressure cooker, you can prepare an entire meal, from appetizers to delicious desserts.
A real help for large families, for those with little time, but not only, because this cooking method will allow everyone to save on gas or electricity bills.
The Scodello, the Basket, and the Grill are accessories that are placed inside the pot, allowing you to steam cook food without it coming into contact with water.
General procedure:
Inside the pressure cooker, food can also be placed without browning.
Then just add the right amount of water, seal the lid hermetically, and make sure the valve is well closed.
Once placed on the stove, increase the heat and wait for the valve to whistle.
At this point, lower the flame’s intensity and count the minutes necessary to cook the food placed in the pot.
Once the necessary time has passed, turn it off, let it cool for a few minutes, and slowly and gently open the valve to release all the steam.
Only then will it be possible to open the lid.
Usually, but from personal experience, I turn off the pot 5 minutes earlier because the steam contained in it will continue to cook the food.
This not only allows me further energy savings but also lets the pot cool down, and consequently, the steam pressure reduces.
So when I release, opening the valve, it will be almost entirely exhausted.
What to do if you find excess liquid once opened? Don’t worry, put it back on the stove uncovered, and let it reduce.
As you use it, you will become increasingly skilled, and these things will happen less and less.
Maintenance and cleaning
The pressure cooker can be easily washed directly in the dishwasher, without any problem.
The important thing is to ensure the vent valve is free from food residues, especially if you have just cooked legumes.
Usually, the sealing gaskets last a long time, but occasionally take a look to determine wear.
If one of these wears out, you don’t need to throw the pot away, you just need to replace the necessary parts.
If one of these wears out, you don’t need to throw the pot away, you just need to replace the necessary parts.
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