If you are looking for an earthenware pan, that means you are looking for a pan made of natural materials. The Römertopf is such a pan. This natural pan is made to be used in the oven, with a temperature of 200 degrees and more you can prepare the most delicious dishes with the Römertopf. And it doesn’t even have to take very long!
With this earthenware pan, you can prepare the most delicious dishes. These dishes are also incredibly healthy. In this article, we are going to tell you exactly what an earthenware pan is, which dishes you can make with it and why they are so incredibly healthy. Finally, we have some tips for buying the best Römertopf.
What is an earthenware pan?
To find out what exactly an earthenware pan is, we are of course going to find out what exactly earthenware is. The Wikipedia page states that pottery is an umbrella term for anything made from clay-fired materials at about a temperature of 1100 degrees, such as ceramics, crockery, pots, jars and even tiles. Pottery is usually not as durable as real stoneware or porcelain, as it is a lot softer. On the other hand, it is a lot easier to make and therefore considerably cheaper. Because pottery is always porous, it is very important to apply a glaze layer over the pans. If a pottery is fired at 1,200 degrees or more, it may also be categorised within the rubric of stoneware.
Earthenware are mainly objects made from simple materials such as loam and clay, these are mainly mined next to the banks of rivers. By drying and then firing, the clay parts stick together, preventing water from causing the whole thing to fall apart. Incidentally, there are earthenware objects that do fall apart when fired or earthenware that does not need to be fired.
With some pottery, it is not possible to bake the whole at such a high temperature that it is no longer porous. As a result, a glaze needs to be applied so that the pan is still watertight. Glaze is a type of glass, it melts and flows over the surface. It is even possible to add colour to pans through glazing.
One of the most well-known forms of earthenware are pans made of earthenware, which of course includes the Römertopf.
Dishes from earthenware pans are healthy
You may wonder why a dish from the earthenware pan Römertopf is so healthy. Well, we’d like to tell you more about that. The Römertopf goes into cold water for at least 15 minutes before use, this water soaks into the pan. Because you place the pan in the oven with the lid on, and then slowly heat this whole thing up, it creates an oven in the oven, so to speak. As soon as the Römertopf heats up, the whole thing starts to vapour, and this vapour in turn creates a mist. This causes the ingredients to steam. The vitamins, nutrients and actually everything that is so healthy for humans are retained in the pan.
Frying is therefore also impossible with an earthenware pan. The temperature in the pan can never get hotter than the water vapour. Another little tip: an earthenware pan usually does not withstand temperature fluctuations very well, so never place it in a preheated oven or from a hot oven on a cold countertop.
Dishes with earthenware pans
Once you’ve bought an earthenware pan, of course, you’ll want to enjoy cooking with it. But you might be wondering if we have any good tips. First of all, pay close attention to how you use and prepare a Römertopf pan before using it for cooking. You can read more about that on the next page, where we tell you exactly about cooking with the Römertopf. Just click the ‘read more’ button for that, the last section is all about how to cook with this ancient Roman pan.
You can actually put just about any ingredient in the earthenware pan Römertopf. Meat (including chicken, chicken legs and wings, lamb and more), fish (pretty much any kind of fish), vegetables, potatoes, rice and pasta. However, if you’re going to cook with the Römertopf, it’s important that you grease the pan well beforehand, prepare it, and once all the ingredients are in it, that all the ingredients are well greased so that they cook nicely golden brown.