A tip for newcomers to stove top espresso: .....DONT tamp.... Fill to top of filter with "correctly" ground coffee. "Settle" it only, say a couple of light taps of the filter on the bench, refill to the top of the filter, perhaps another settle to make sure, refill again if necessary to totally full to the top of the rim, fit filter holder to "machine" and brew. The way it behaves in the brew, will tell you how to re adjust your grind to a "more correct" place. Dont blast the thing with a hot plate on full or you burn the bollocks out of the brew. Learn how to run your particular hotplate so the temp ramp up is more gentle throughout. Hope that helps.
