Espresso Recipe

Preheat and clean

Turn the espresso machine on and allow it to fully heat (usually 15–30 minutes depending on machine). Flush the group head for 5–10 seconds to stabilize temperature and ensure clean water flow. Warm the portafilter by locking it in and running a short flush, then remove and dry.

Grind beans

Weigh 18 g of fresh coffee beans. Grind to a fine setting suitable for espresso — the grind should feel like table salt but slightly finer. Adjust grind if necessary based on extraction time (see step for pulling shot).

Dose and distribute

Place the portafilter on the scale, tare to zero, and dose the 18 g ground coffee into the portafilter basket. Use a distribution tool or a small spoon to level and evenly distribute grounds across the basket to prevent channeling.

Tamp

Apply a firm, level tamp (approximately 15–20 kg of pressure). Hold the tamper perfectly level, polish with a slight twist if needed, then wipe any loose grounds from the portafilter rim.

Purge and lock in portafilter

Purge the group head for 1–2 seconds to remove any residual water. Immediately lock the portafilter into the group head securely to start extraction with a stable temperature.

Pull the shot

Place your shot glass or warmed demitasse on the scale under the spout and tare to zero. Start extraction and time simultaneously. Aim for a yield of about 36 ml (2x yield) in 25–30 seconds from the moment the pump starts (so 18 g in -> 36 ml out in ~25–30 s). Monitor flow: it should start as a thin stream, become a steady honey-like stream, then taper. Stop extraction at target weight/time.

Assess and adjust

Taste the espresso. If extraction is too fast (under 20 s), make the grind finer or increase dose slightly. If too slow (over 35 s) or tasting overly bitter/extracted, make the grind coarser or reduce dose slightly. Repeat adjustments for consistent results.

Serve

Serve immediately in a warm demitasse. Optionally add sugar or sweetener to taste. Knock out used puck into knock box and rinse the portafilter and filter basket for next use.

At the end of service or after several shots, backflush the machine (if applicable) with water and perform regular cleaning as recommended by the manufacturer. Refill the reservoir or plumbed water supply with fresh filtered water as needed.