EN ▾
Mediterranean Blue Terra Cotta Cazuelas - 8 Inches (4 Dishes)
- Versatile terra cotta cookware
- Attractive blue glaze
- For cooking and serving
- Keeps food warm after serving
- Food safe, lead free
- Size - 4 x 32 oz/4 cups
These beautiful blue cazuelas are an everyday dish for the kitchen, for serving simple tapas or cooking a delicious meal! These traditional terra cotta dishes bring a burst of color to your home.
We use ours to make traditional Spanish dishes and stews, but we are just as likely to use them to serve side dishes at Thanksgiving or pastries at breakfast.
Each of our cazuelas is solid terra cotta with small handles added by hand - they call them “orejas” in Spain. These casserole dishes are food safe and lead free.
These traditional dishes come from the town of Breda in Catalunya, where terra cotta kitchenware has been the standard cookware since Roman times. The local clay is ideal for making sturdy terra cotta that holds heat, perfect for keeping meals warm even after the dish is brought to the dining table.
As each piece is hand painted, the exact color may vary.
Note: Always heat or cool cazuelas very slowly or they will break. Never add a cazuela to a high heat oven or burner and do not move hot cazuelas to a refrigerator or submerge in water as this can cause cracks or breakage.
Use and Care
To clean, soak in sudsy water and scrub with a soft brush to remove any hardened food.
This sturdy clay cookware is safe to use in the oven or on the stovetop. Before cooking with your cazuela, you will need to cure it using the directions below. If it has not been used for cooking for an extended period of time, it should be cured again prior to use.
Avoid intense heat such as flame applied directly to the dish. A flame tamer or other type of buffer is necessary. Introduce heat in a gradual process whenever possible rather than placing it in the target heat level.
If the cazuela is properly cured it should be able to handle temperatures up to 500°F, such as in a pizza oven, provided it is heated gradually.
Standard curing method - Soak the entire dish in water to cover for 12 hours. Drain and wipe dry. Rub the unglazed bottom with a cut clove of garlic (we are not sure how the garlic works, but why argue with tradition?) Fill the dish with water to 1/2 inch below the rim, then add 1/2 cup of vinegar. Place the dish on a flame-tamer over low heat and slowly bring the water to a boil (no flame tamer? Crumple a sheet of aluminum foil and create a ring that you place over your burner to create about an inch of space between the heat and the cazuela). Let the liquid boil down until only about 1/2 cup remains. Cool slowly and wash. Your cazuela is ready for use - the garlic has created a seal. This technique has been used since the Middle Ages. It seasons the pot, kills bacteria and hardens the unglazed parts.
Alternate curing method - Especially if you intend to use the cazuela to cook strongly flavored fish or seafood. After soaking, rub the inside of the base with olive oil and put into a preheated 300°F oven for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the heat and let cool.
