Restaurants›Lusi YYC Italian Kitchen & Pizzeria›Single Espresso Recipe

Single Espresso Recipe

Inspired by Lusi YYC Italian Kitchen & Pizzeria

Time10m

Serves1

Make Single Espresso Recipe in just 10m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Espresso

1/4 oz (7 g) freshly roasted coffee beans (espresso roast)2.03 tbsp (30 ml) filtered water (for brewing)

Equipment & optional

1 to taste espresso machine (with 9–10 bar pressure)1 to taste espresso portafilter1 to taste coffee grinder (burr)1 to taste tamper1 to taste scale (0.1 g precision recommended)1 to taste shot glass or demitasse cup1 to taste timer

Method

Preparation

Warm equipment

Turn on the espresso machine and allow it to reach brewing temperature (usually 10–20 minutes). Place the portafilter in the group head and run a short blank shot (hot water) to warm the portafilter and cup, then discard the water.

Dose and grind

Weigh 7 g of coffee beans. Grind to a fine espresso setting — texture should be finer than table salt but not floury. Adjust grind so that extraction time will be about 25–30 seconds for 30 ml yield.

Prepare portafilter

Purge any residual water from the group head. Place the ground coffee into the portafilter basket. Distribute grounds evenly, then tamp with firm, even pressure (about 20–30 lbs / 9–14 kg force) so the puck is level and compact. Wipe any loose grounds from the rim.

Extraction

Lock and pre-infusion

Lock the portafilter into the group head. Start the shot and if your machine has pre-infusion, allow 1–3 seconds of gentle water flow to saturate the puck before full pressure is applied.

Pull the shot

Start the timer as water begins to flow. Aim for a 30 ml yield in 25–30 seconds total extraction time. Watch for a steady, honey-like stream that transitions to slightly lighter, crema-topped espresso. Stop the shot when you reach 30 ml.

Serve

Wipe the portafilter and group head. Pour the single espresso into a pre-warmed demitasse cup or shot glass. Serve immediately to preserve crema and aromatic profile.

Cleanup & tuning

Knock out the used puck, rinse the portafilter, and run a short flush through the group head. Taste the espresso and adjust grind finer if the shot is under-extracted (sour, fast flow) or coarser if over-extracted (bitter, slow flow).