COOKING APPLIANCE

In the case of pasta and rice a part of the water is absorbed without incurring any significant loss of principal nutrients. This absorption of water is needed to swell the starch granules. which are a principal component of rice. and although some of this starch passes into thc cooking liquid there is no modification of the product's nutritive value. ln the case of boiling vegetables and legumes. there is a transfer of mineral salts and water-soluble vitamins into the water. increasing both with the cooking time employed and amount of water used. These ntitritivc components will be lost if the cooking liquid is not utilized.
Cooking in fats consists of the transfer of heat front a source to a mass of oil. The oil then transfers this heat to the food that it envelops and thanks to its chemical characteristics can be psed at high temperatures whilst remaining virtually unaltered.
The aim of cooking by frying is to remove as much water as possible from the external part of the food while at the same time preventing the oil from penetrating into the food. To obtain this it is necessary to operate at high temperatures so as to cause the immediate evaporation ofthe water and the rapid formation of an outer crust that impedes the oil’s penetration. Foods correctly cooked by frying must:

- be crusty on the outside while soft on the inside;
- not be exessively greasy;
- have an even golden colour;
- not have an irregular taste or smell.

And for battered foods th coating must adhere during and after cooking.
Dry cooking is used when foods are cooked in an oven or on a spit. Some foods however. Require both wet and dry cooking, as for example in braising. which is started in the oven and then continued in an abundance of water.
The choice of the type of appliance is such as to obtain a uniformity of cooking and a reduction of cooking time. weight loss and cost. Also the appliances must fulfill the following criteria: adequate production capacity; ease of use for the personnel; low maintenance; easy to clean: low energy consumption; long lasting; safe.
Carefully following these above mentioned points will enable the restaurateur to make a wise purchase.

EQUIPMENT USED FOR COOKING

Saucepans. The use of the traditional aluminium saucepan is not recommended and should be completely avoided when cooking acidic foods such as tomatoe sauces; better to use ones made from stainless steel. They come in a wide range. either circular or rectangular. of varying capacities.
from a few litres to the large ones used in the professional kitchen and can be used with gas or electricity. They can also be of the steamer type characterized by a space between the walls and the base to allow the circulations of the steam and its condensation.

Pressure cookers. These can bit operated with electric, gas or steam. The difference between these and standard saucepans is that they operate at a higher temperature and are contructed differently. The lid is double-skinned and closed by clamping it to the rim of the saucepan. There is a pressure valve fitted to the lid both to control the pressure during cooking and as a safety measure, plus a filter and tube to evacuate the steam. Both this and the standard type of saucepan are used for boiling rice.

Pasta cookers. These are an evolution of the traditional saucepan and can be fed by gas, electric or steam. They are equipped with various mechanisms that offer noticeable advantages over traditional cooking procedures
They enable a better control of the temperature during cooking; the water is maintained at a constant level in the cooking chamber, and therefore the level of starch that has been dissolved into it, and it is constantly agitated by a pump. The process can be interrupted to allow the addition of cold water into the cooking chamber.

Two systems are available: continuous or stationary. The continuous system has a moving belt to which are hung perforated baskets containing the pasta.
These baskets vary in number from 4 to 7 and have a capacity ranging from 3 to 5 kg. With this system it is possible to cook between 200 and 400 kg per hour of rice or pasta.
The stationary system has l or 2 automatic discharge chambers with capacities ranging from 5 to 30 kg and can produce between 75 and 150 kg of rice or pasta an hour.

Ovens. These can be classified into two types: those that use air and / or metal for the transfer of heat and those that use steam. The former are able to reach higher temperatures and are used for roasting and frying whereas the latter are used for stewing which requires a lower temperature.
Belonging to this former category is the static oven which can be either gas or electric fed. It is called a static oven because the air only circulates due to temperature differences within the cooking chamber. This fact presents many difficulties and as a consequence their use is progressively decreasing. The principal inconvenience is the differing temperatures in the cooking chamber and the subsequent need to change th position of the food during the cooking process. This inevitably leads to an increase of temperature in the working enviroment, and this situation is further aggravated by the fact that very often static ovens are poorly insulated. Also they are invariably positioned under the range, forcing the operator into uncomfortable or potentially dangerous positions. lt is evident from these considerations that such ovens are not conducive to standard operative conditions.
The fan-powered oven evolved from the static oven with the fan causing a rapid circulation of the hot air and consequently a uniform distribution of heat. The source of this heat can be either gas or electricity. They are supplied with a timer to control the cooking time, a thermostat for the temperature, a filter against fats., and in some models a humidifier to prevent excessive drying-out of the food. lt is worth mentioning that this problem can be avoided in ovens that lack the sophistication of a humidifier by simply placing a baking-tin full of water in the lower part of the oven.
The inside of the oven is finished in stainless steel and has shelf positions to accomodate baking-tins of varying heights and capacities. In some of the larger capacity ovens trolleys are used to facilitate loading and unloading.
These dry-air ovens are very useful for cooking timbale and pies. Steam ovens. The steam oven operates on the same principle as the pressure cooker and is offered for sale in various sizes. It is used for vegetables, legumes, meat and pre-cooking.
The advantage of this system is that the steam reduces the presence of oxygen, thus avoiding oxidization that could modify the appearance and principal nutrients of the food.
It can function at temperatures around 100°C and at pressures from 0.5 to l atmospheres, reaching temperatures of 110 to 12l°C. With this system rice loses less starch and cooks in a shorter time.

Microwave ovens. The term oven becomes inappropriate and limited when it is considered that these can cook pan-roasts, polenta, risotto, and stewed fruit that are not usually cooked in a traditional oven. They can also de-frost in a short time, sterilize, conserve and re-heat ready cooked dishes.
The microwaves that they emit are magnetic waves of a frequency adaptable to producing heat. Theses waves act on the molecules of water contained in the food, causing them to move rapidly, like many small needles to a magnet, and the heat generated is the result of these rubbing against one another.
The microwaves are produced by a “magnetRon” and, once they are inside the oven, bounce of the metal walls into the food to a depth of 2 to 3 cm The external part of the food is immediately heated in the manner previously described whereas the inner part is heated by conduction as in traditional cooking. The microwaves are retained within the oven and this can only be operated with the door closed.
In the case of rice they can be used for pre-cooked frozen dishes but are less suitable for cooking it.

Braisers. These are used to fulfil many functions thanks to their versatility in preparing sauces, stews, and in braising. Their main purpose is to reduce or eliminate the liquid present and for this they have very low sides
in relation to their dimensions; the objective being to disperse a given quantity of liquid over the greatest possible area - the greater the surface area the quicker the evaporation. It must be stated that although they are frequently used for frying this use should be avoided as they are not fitted with is thermostat to control the temperature of the oil. The cooking pan tips to give the obvious advantage of speed in transfering the contents. The use of wooden utensils is recommended to avoid scratching the bottom of the pan.
They are suitable for preparing “risotto”.

Deep-friers. A good quality deep-fryer is an essential piece of equipment in any kitchen. The first parameter is the speed in which it brings the oil to a working temperature - and only then should the food to be cooked be added
The faster it is, the better the quality of the final product. The second is the type of control offered. Other than a thermostat. (standard on all models), there are varying degrees of automation up to the sophistication of computer control.
The simplest versions are table-mounted with a capacity of 2 to 4 litres; they are well suited to kitchens that produce less than 30/40 servings per sitting.
Then there are free-standing versions with a lower section (which can be in one or two baths) to recover and filter the oil, trapping any loose food particles and avoiding their carbonization that would otherwise contaminate the oil and therefore the food.
Also available on the market are deep-friers called “cold zone”, characterized by a pan in two parts; one rectangular, which houses the electrical element, and one conical. The oil in the rectangular pan moves as a result of boiling, inducing the denser food particles to fall to the bottom where water is introduced at a lower temperature (max l00°C), They are deposited here without being carbonized and are easily removed.
More up-to-date deep-friers have automatic controls that allow the cooking cycle to be programmed, at the end of which the basket is raised automatically; perfect and uniform results for everything. These are justifiable in kitchens that serve more than 2000 portions per sitting.
Deep-friers with a capacity of 80 litres and a removable basket are also widely used in restaurants.
The ultimate generation of deep-friers are fully automatic and computerized; they can be programmed to control cooking time and temperature in relation to food type, its initial temperature and oil used.
To give completeness it is necessary to mention the continuous deep-fryer which, in our opinion. is not useful even when serving large numbers.
It consists of a trough containing 150/200 litres of oil., through which a stainless steel belt passes. The food is placed on this and carried to the opposite end where it falls into a container, the cooking time being regulated by the speed of the belt.
Deep-friers are suitable for cooking rice dishes such as eroquettes and “arancini”.