Paella is a Valencian word meaning “frying pan” and refers to the vessel in which the well-known recipe that it takes its name from is prepared. In this short post we explain what is a paella or paella pan, what are its main characteristics and where to buy them.
What is the paella or paella pan?
The paella is a type of frying pan, usually made of iron or steel, wide and with two small handles, it is flat and has a large surface. Its depth is usually no more than 5 or 6 centimeters and its diameter varies depending on the number of guests. For this reason there is a large number of different paella sizes, from 10 cm to 200 cm in diameter. However, there are also larger paellas that are used at large events such as fairs and other festivals.
This shape of paella, such a large ratio of diameter to depth, is no accident, because with it the rice To cook properly, the grains must be heated in a similar manner, and therefore it is very important that the rice is spread in a thin layer throughout the paella.
A paella pan is required to cook paella?
If you ask a Valencian, they will always say yes. As already mentioned, the special shape of the paella pan is necessary for the rice to cook properly. This shape ensures that the rice cooks evenly in one layer.
