Neapolitan flip coffee pot


The Neapolitan flip coffee pot is a drip brew coffeemaker for the stove top that was very popular in Italy until last century. Unlike a moka express, a napoletana does not use the pressure of steam to force the water through the coffee, relying instead on gravity.

History

The napoletana is claimed to have been invented in 1819 by a Frenchman named Morize. The reason for taking its name from the city of Naples is due to the fact that Naples was one of the largest coffee importers, consequently the invention was well received by the Neapolitans. The construction of the coffee pot was originally copper until 1886 when the material was switched to aluminum. The namesake, cuccumella, derives from cuccuma, meaning "copper or terracotta vase".

Structure and use

It consists of a bottom section filled with water, a filter section in the middle filled with finely ground coffee, and an upside-down pot placed on the top. When the water boils, the entire three-part coffee maker is flipped over to let the water filter through the coffee grounds. Once the water has dripped through the grounds, the water-boiling and filter sections are removed, and the coffee is served from the remaining pot. If coarse grounds are used, the coffee is brewed quite mildly. Using very finely ground coffee in the "Neapolitan" style, roasted colour "cloak of monk", this method can produce a coffee that has a stronger flavor than an automatic drip brew maker.

Cuppetiello

The cuppetiello is a small paper cone that goes over the spout. This is used to preserve the aroma of the coffee while it drips into the tank, which can take up to 10 minutes or more. To make a cuppetiello, a small piece of paper is folded to create a cone shape.
Eduardo de Filippo offers a description of the cuppetiello and the importance of coffee in Naples.

Classic designs

Southern Italian Riccardo Dalisi redesigned this classic for Alessi. He began his research in 1979 and earned international attention when his design entered into production in 1987.
As they have come back to gain some popularity, Ilsa now also makes them in stainless steel.