The oven


SOME SUGGESTIONS

To avoid wasting electricity
- try to avoid opening the oven door when evaluating the stage of cooking of a dish. The internal light is enough to see that. This will guarantee perfect cooking as well as a power saving.
- the energy required to cook a dish varies between ovens as well as by the model of oven used and the technology involved in relation to the air distribution system: for this reason it is impossible to estimate the respective power consumption.
- when choosing an oven it is important to evaluate the maximum energy absorbed by the oven in order to avoid installing an appliance that uses more power than what is available.
- whilst operating the oven, it is suggested to avoid using an iron, washing machine, dishwasher or hair dryer as these appliances absorb a great deal of power.

MAINTENANCE

Upon first start-up, the oven may let-off an unpleasant odour due to the heating of the adhesive of the internal walls.
This is perfectly normal. When in operation, the glass window of the oven, as well as all other parts near it, will become hot. It is thus suggested to keep children away from the oven if it is not fitted with an appropriate protection device.
In order to avoid overheating of the enamel, the internal walls of the oven must be kept free from any sheets of oven paper or aluminium foil. Clean the oven externally using water and a neutral detergent, rinse and dry the surface using a soft cloth. Never use steel-wool, abrasive products or pointy items to remove the dirt. It is, therefore, recommended to clean the oven after every use in order to avoid the food from sticking to the walls of the oven. It is possible to avoid having to clean the oven simply by fitting self-cleaning panels into the oven.
To clean the enamelled shelves and the stainless steel grills, use warm water and a liquid detergent. The oven light bulb can be replaced by another high temperature resisting light bulb by simply unscrewing the capping that covers it. Any unpleasant odours that generate within the oven can be eliminated by allowing water and half a lemon to evaporate inside oven.
In order to maintain the oven as air tight as possible, remember to always remove the larger crusts from the gasket of the oven. The appliance must be disconnected from the power outlet prior to any maintenance intervention.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

Prior to introducing the dishes into the oven it will be necessary for the oven to have reached the required cooking temperature. It is a good idea to switch the oven on at least ten minutes prior to using it. If the oven is not ventilated, it will be necessary to place the dish onto the central shelf in order to achieve uniform cooking.
Avoid opening the oven door when cooking foods that rise such as bread, pizza or cakes. The thermal drop may ruin the result. Switching off the oven will not cause an immediate stop to the cooking phase: it will be necessary to remove the dish from the oven to prevent it from burning due to the heat that remains within the oven.
Once the oven has been switched off, the dish removed may be replaced by another (bread, pizza etc.) thus making the most of the residual heat that has remained inside the oven.

THE IDEAL MATERIAL FOR OVENS

Stainless steel
Easy to clean and long lasting. Attention though, as it causes food to stick to it. It is better to use it exclusively for dishes that are rather wet or for short cooking phases.

Aluminium
Excellent conductor of heat as it prevents the food from sticking to it and allows it to remain hot for quite some time. It is recommended not to leave the food in this type of container for long periods of time as the flavour and colour of the food may be subject to alteration.

Non-stick aluminium
This material is the most commonly used as it does not allow the food to stick to it and reduced the need for any fats such as butter or oil. It is light weight and easy to clean but damages easily when in contact with everyday cooking utensils. It is thus recommended to use wooden utensils in order to increase the life of the oven pan.

Copper
It is by far the best conductor of heat but it is expensive and heavy and therefore not very manageable.

Enamelled cast iron
Is an extremely strong material with uniform heat distribution and is ideal for long cooking times and au gratin dishes.

Pyrex and oven porcelain
These are the most refined materials available and, therefore, the dishes may be placed directly on the dining table. They are rather solid but cause the food to stick. These cooking pans are small in size and may be used in microwave ovens as well.

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