How to Assemble Food Mill

Print Recipe

At first glance, a food mill looks simple. A bowl, a crank, a disc. Done. That's what we thought too.

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Equipment

Food Mill - OMAC S.R.L. - Made in Italy - base, milling disks, handle attached to a blade

Instructions

1. Start on a flat surface! Never assemble the food mill over a pot. Reason being, you need to see the disc, center hole, and rod alignment clearly.
2. Insert the milling disc. As a rule, concave side up is correct, but this isn't universal. Remember, different manufacturers design differently. So, if your disc isn't marked, try one way and test rotation.
3. Install the handle assembly. First, lower the full assembly into the bowl. Next, guide the central rod through the disc hole. This is why you assemble on the counter, so you can actually see the alignment.
4. Lock the assembly. Finally, align the locking pins with the tabs on the bowl. Twist or press until locked. The spring pushes the blade down onto the disc.
5. TEST before adding food. Once done, turn the handle. Smooth rotation? No grinding? No excessive force? Good. If not, stop, flip the disc, and test again.

The only rule that actually works: the correct disc orientation is the one that allows smooth, easy rotation. Do not force the handle. If you feel resistance, stop immediately.

Notes

The Mistake That Damages the Food Mill

We installed the disc the wrong way. It fit. And yes, it locked. Frankly, it looked absolutely fine. But, the moment we turned the handle, it felt stiff. The blade was grinding against the metal. Obviously, something was wrong. Yet, we persisted, thinking that the tool just needed an extra muscle power. At the end, we scored the sides of the bowl. Permanent damage. Lessons learned: Rule of the thumb, always test rotation before adding food.