Ristretto – Short Shot. The Ristretto is a “short shot” of standard espresso – it is made with the same amount of ground coffee, also in the 20 to 30 seconds period, but extracted with half water.
Ristretto (meaning “shortened, narrow” in Italian), and its cousin – Lungo (“long”) is a case of more water (usually twice) than “traditional espresso.” The French call Ristretto Café Serré.
Ristretto has a richer flavor, making it a favorite among many espressos.
Traditionally, a cup of Ristretto is extracted using the same amount of coffee powder and water as usual but reducing its extraction time. A strong espresso with a distinctive flavor with slightly lower caffeine content. Modern baristas extract Ristretto by shortening the extraction time.