If you plan on cooking or baking with your cazuela, you will need to soak and cure it using the following directions: Soak the entire dish in water to cover for 4 hours. After soaking, fill the dish with water to just below the rim. Place the cazuela on a low flame and gradually raise the temperature until the water begins to boil. Your cazuela is now cured and ready for use. Soaking the cazuela only needs to be done once before it is used for the first time. This cures the cazuela making it more durable. Cooking in the cazuela will continue to season and cure the terracotta so the more you cook in your clay dishes the longer they will last. Hand washing is recommended. Cazuelas are extremely durable, but it is always best to avoid quick temperature changes. Do not pour cold water into a hot cazuela (or vice versa), and avoid moving it directly from refrigerator to stove. Please keep in mind that these cazuelas have been handmade in Southern Spain and slight imperfections are part of their charm and not a defect. These handmade cazuelas are lead-free and completely food safe.
