EN ▾
Reactive Green Terra Cotta Cazuelas – 4.5 Inches (4 Dishes)
- Dappled green glaze
- Handmade in Catalunya
- For serving tapas and snacks
- Oven safe
- Food safe, lead-free
- Size - 4 x 4 oz/0.5 cup
Add a touch of color to your table with these beautiful cazuelas. These rustic terra cotta dishes are a fun way to serve tapas-sized portions of your favorite Spanish food, or even hot dishes like bacon-wrapped dates. The craftsmen use a special reactive glaze to create a dappled green surface.
Across Spain cazuelas are used in restaurants and homes for cooking and serving tasty dishes. They are a great way to serve Spanish classics like patatas bravas or gazpacho, but we also often use them for side dishes at dinner or as snack bowls.
Our cazuelas are formed from terra cotta with small handles added by hand - they call them “orejas” (ears) in Spain. All glazes are food safe and lead free.
These ceramics are made in the town of Breda in Catalunya. Located in a region that has been famous for ceramics since Roman times, the local clay has the ideal consistency for making sturdy terra cotta dishes.
Note: Never transition a cazuela from high heat to water or a cold surface as it could crack. Similarly, never place a cold cazuela on high heat. Always heat or cool cazuelas very slowly. Wash by hand.
As each piece is hand painted, the exact color may vary.
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.
