Pressure cookers are a staple in Southern European kitchens. They are a fundamental tool to sustain the Mediterranean diet, a centuries-old way of eating based on the use of natural ingredients and simple cooking processes. Vegetables, legumes, meats and fish can be cooked in this sealed pot in a faster, more efficient, healthier way. The cooking process is about 70% faster and considerably more efficient, since it uses significantly less energy than conventional processes such as open-pot cooking or oven cooking. Due to the shorter cooking time and the fact that most of the water used in the cooking process remains in the pot and does not boil away, more vitamins and minerals from the ingredients are retained, making pressure cooking a healthier alternative to conventional cooking. A domestic pressure cooker is generally made of aluminum or stainless steel, and has three main elements: the pot, usually with a handle and a small knob placed diametrically opposite to it; the lid, a twist-on disc with a rubber seal underneath and a handle that aligns with the pot handle in the closed position; and a pressure valve, a small weight that releases part of the steam generated during the cooking process at a pressure of 15 psi. The dimensions of a standard 4-6 liter (15-22 gal.) capacity cooker are 40L x 27W x 25H cm. (15.7 x 10.6 x 9.8 in.), a good fit for European kitchens where space is often limited.
