cataplana is the name given to a unique and ingenious culinary device of Portugal, especially the Algarve, where it has become a symbol of the region. It is basically a domed frying pan with a tightly fitting lid. It looks like a globe, but in two parts which hinge together. It works on the same principle as a modern pressure cooker but without the safety valve and therefore should never be put over a roaring flame. Its other advantage is that the pan may be turned during cooking allowing equal exposure to the heat to all its contents.
