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Hints and Tips
Saucepans for use on solid plates should have several
characteristics:
•
They should be fairly heavy duty
•
They should fit the heat area exactly, or be slightly
larger for efficient use, NEVER smaller.
•
They should have a flat base to ensure good
contact with the plate.
This is particularly important when using pans for high
temperature frying or pressure cooking.
You can switch off the plate a short while before
you finish cooking, and the final stage will be
completed on the accumulated heat. Similarly,
stews etc. cooked in well covered saucepans cook
at lower temperature which is more economical.
Ensure pans are large enough to avoid liquids
being spilt onto the plates.
Never leave the plates on without a pan on them
or with an empty pan on them.
Take care never to lean or reach over a hot electric
plate. Always point pan handles inward or over the
work surface next to the hob to avoid accidentally
knocking over a pan as you pass by.
In models supplied with a cover, if it is made
of glass, it should not be closed when the
burners are still hot, as it could splinter.
Recommended pottery
Remember that a wide-bottomed pan allows a faster
cooking than a narrow one. Always use pots which
properly fit what you have to cook.
Particularly make sure that the pans are not too small
for liquids, since these could easily overflow.
Moreover, the pans should not be too large for a faster
cooking. In fact, grease and juices may spread on the
bottom and burn easily.
It is better to use non-openable moulds for baking cakes.
In fact, an openable mould lets juices and sugar leak
through, falling on the bottom of the oven and
consequently burning on the bottom of the baking tray,
making cleaning difficult.
Avoid putting plastic-handled pans in the oven as they
are not heat-proof. You should use pans with the right
diameter to fit the burner, in order to make the most out
of it, thus reducing gas consumption.
It is also advisable to cover any boiling casserole and,
as soon as the liquid starts boiling, lower the flame
enough to keep the boiling point.
The effects of dishes on cooking
results
Dishes and tins vary in their thickness, conductivity,
colour, etc. which affects the way they transmit heat to
the food inside them.
A Aluminium, earthenware, oven glassware and bright
shiny utensils reduce cooking and base browning.
B Enamelled cast iron, anodized aluminium, aluminium
with non-stick interior and coloured exterior and dark,
heavy utensils increase cooking and base browning.
7
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