How to Get a Perfect Socarrat
What Is Socarrat? Source : By Joanbanjo, CC BY-SA 3.0 In the art world, this word refers to fired clay tiles, usually painted red and black, which were placed between beams in the ceilings of medieval Spain. But when we're talking about paella, socarrat means something different: the crunchy, crusty rice layer at the bottom of the paellera. When you look at a photo of tiled socarrat and realize that these features were primarily found in Valencia, you can see why the term is also appropriate for the brown, burnt bottom of a paella. In fact, the word "soccarar" is the verb "to toast," which refers both to the baking of the clay tiles and to the delicious scrape-able goodness of this classic Spanish dish. How to Get a Crusty Bottom on Your Paella You may not want to hear this, but the key to a good socarrat is the pan. If you have been putting off buying a paellera, delay no longer. There are a lot of reasons why you need a paella pan , but for me, thi...