SIMPLE ITALIAN COOKERY Antonia Isola CONTENTS SoupsMacaroni and other PastesRice, Etc. SaucesEggsFishVegetablesMeatsSaladsDessertsIndex SOUPS BEEF SOUP STOCK(_Brodo di Carne_) 1 pound of round of beef 2 quarts of water 2 small, new carrots, or 1/2 of an old carrot 1/2 pound of beef bones 2 small potatoes 1 onion 1 tomato, fresh or canned Parsley Boil the beef, bones, and vegetables in two quarts of water over aslow fire--adding pepper and salt. Skim occasionally, and after twohours add two tablespoons of sherry; then strain through finesoup-strainer or cheese-cloth. This is the basis of all the followingsoups, except when otherwise stated. To make this stock richer, add a turkey leg to above receipt; boil oneand a half hours, then add one-half a pound of finely chopped beef. Cook for half an hour longer, then strain. To make meat jelly, add a little gelatine to the soup stock fiveminutes before straining. To give a good dark color to the stock, add a few drops of "caramel, "which is prepared in the following manner: Put three tablespoons of granulated sugar into a saucepan with alittle water, and until the sugar has become dark and reddish; thenadd a little more water and boil again until the sugar is melted. Strain and pour into a bottle when the caramel will keep perfectly forseveral weeks. CHICKEN BROTH(_Brodo di Capone_) This is made like the meat stock, substituting a fowl in place of thebeef and bones. RICE SOUP(_Minestra di Riso_) Meat stock 2 tablespoons of rice Cover the rice with water and boil for ten minutes; then drain and addto the stock (after it has been strained), and boil for five or tenminutes more. STRACCIATELLA SOUP(_Minestra di Stracciatella_) 1 egg 1/2 tablespoon of Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon bread crumbs Beat the egg, yolk and white together; add salt and the cheese, grated, and the bread crumbs; mix well together and add to the boilingstock (strained). Stir well with a fork to prevent the egg fromsetting, and boil for four or five minutes. VEGETABLE CHOWDER(_Minestrone alla Milanese_) 1/2 quart of stock 2 slices of lean pork, or a ham bone 2 tomatoes, fresh or canned 1 cup of rice 2 tablespoons of dried beans 1 tablespoon of peas, fresh or canned 2 onions Put into the stock the slices of pork, cut into small pieces; or, ifdesired, a ham bone may be substituted for the pork. Add the tomatoes, cut into small pieces also, the onions, in small pieces, and the rice. Boil all together until the rice is cooked. Then add the beans and thepeas and cook a little longer. The soup is ready when it is thick. Ifdesired, this chowder can be made with fish broth instead of thestock, and with the addition of shrimps which have been taken fromtheir shells. This dish can be served hot or cold. FISH BROTH(_Brodo di Pesce_) 1 liberal pound of fresh codfish, or any other lean fish for boiling 1 quart of water 1 onion Parsley Salt and pepper Boil until fish is thoroughly cooked; strain and serve. CODFISH SOUP(_Zuppa di Merluzzo_) Take one-half pound of salt codfish that has been soaked, cut it upinto squares, but not small. Prepare in a saucepan four tablespoons of good olive-oil, and onesmall onion cut into pieces. Cook the onion in the oil over a slowfire, without allowing the onion to become colored, then add a smallbunch of parsley stems, a small piece of celery, a bay-leaf, and asmall sprig of thyme. Cool for a few moments, then add two tomatoes, skinned and with the seeds removed, and cut into slices, twotablespoons of dry white wine, and one medium-sized potato, peeled andcut into slices, and, lastly, one cup of water. When the potato is half cooked, add the codfish, then one-halftablespoon more of olive-oil. Remove the parsley stems, and put ininstead one-half tablespoon of chopped-up parsley; add a good pinch ofpepper, and some salt, if needed. When the vegetables are thoroughlycooked pour the soup over pieces of toasted or fried bread, and serve. LENTIL SOUP(_Brodo di Lenticchie_) 3 tablespoons of dried lentils 1/2 tablespoon of butter 2 tablespoons of cream Meat stock Cover the lentils with water and boil until they are quite soft. Passthem through a colander or a sieve. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the lentils and cream, mixing well, then add a ladleful of thestock, and boil for a few minutes; then add the rest of the desiredamount of stock, a ladleful at a time. VEGETABLE SOUP(_Zuppa alla Primaverile_) Take some cabbage, carrots, celery, onions, turnips, lettuce, squash, potatoes, beans, and peas. Chop each into very small pieces, wash anddrain. Take a saucepan, put in a heaping tablespoon of butter; chop upanother small piece of onion and add to butter and fry until onion isgolden; then add all the vegetables, salt, and pepper, and cover thesaucepan. When the vegetables are half cooked, and their juice hasbecome absorbed, dissolve one tablespoon of tomato paste in one-thirdof a cup of hot water, and add. Instead of the tomato paste there maybe added to the onion, before putting in the vegetables, one tomato, peeled and cut into small pieces. When the tomato is cooked add thevegetables. Then add water, a little at a time, until you havesufficient quantity for two persons. Take a slice of bread and cutinto small squares or diamonds--toast or fry as desired--put theseinto the soup plates, and pour the soup (without straining) over them. LETTUCE SOUP(_Zuppa di Lattuga_) 1 small lettuce Meat stock 2 potatoes The leaves of a head of celery 2 tablespoons of peas, fresh or canned 1 heaping tablespoon of flour Put the potatoes, cold boiled, into the stock when it boils, add thecelery leaves, the lettuce chopped up, the peas, and the flour mixedwell with a little cold stock or water. Boil for one hour and a half, and serve with little squares of fried bread. PUMPKIN SOUP(_Zuppa di Zucca_) 1 slice of pumpkin 2 tablespoons of butter 1/2 cup of water 1-1/2 cups of milk 1 tablespoon of sugar Peel the pumpkin and remove the seeds, cut into small pieces, and putinto a saucepan with the butter, the sugar, a pinch of salt, and thewater. Boil for two hours, then drain and put back into the saucepanwith the milk, which has been boiled. Allow it to come to a boil, andthen serve it with squares of fried bread. POTATO SOUP(_Zuppa alla Provinciale_) 2 large potatoes 3 tablespoons of cream or milk 2 tablespoons of butter 2 yolks of eggs Soup stock Boil the potatoes, then rub them through a sieve. Put them into asaucepan with the butter, a little salt, and the cream or milk. Simmeruntil it is thick, then add the yolks of the two eggs to form it intoa paste. Turn out onto the bread-board, cut into small dice, and throwthem into the stock, which must be boiling. If desired, before servingsprinkle a little Parmesan cheese into the soup. MACARONI AND OTHER PASTES MACARONI WITH TOMATO SAUCE(_Maccheroni al Sugo_) 2 quarts of water 3/4 pound of macaroni Boil the water until it makes big bubbles. Add salt, then break themacaroni and put it in. Cover the saucepan and boil for fifteenminutes. The saucepan should not be too small, otherwise the macaroniwill stick to the bottom. Prepare the sauce as follows: Take a good slice of ham fat, and chop very fine with it a piece ofonion, a piece of celery, and some parsley. Then put this into afrying-pan and cook until the grease is colored. (If desired, add asmall lump of butter. ) When well colored add two tablespoons of tomatopaste dissolved in a little hot water. Boil all together for fifteenminutes. Drain the macaroni, and put it into the frying-pan with the sauce, mixwell with fork and spoon over the fire, so that the macaroni will bethoroughly seasoned, then add three tablespoons of grated Parmesancheese, mix again, and serve. If no tomato paste is available make the tomato sauce as follows: Chop up fine one-quarter of an onion, a piece of celery the length ofa finger, two or three basil-leaves, and a small bunch of parsley. Slice seven or eight tomatoes (fresh or canned), add salt and pepper, and put all on together to cook in four tablespoons of good olive-oil. Stir occasionally, and when it becomes as thick as cream, strain, andadd the macaroni as before directed. MACARONI WITH MEAT AND SAUCE(_Maccheroni al sugo di Carne_) Take one-half pound of beef without fat. Prepare the ham fat as in thepreceding receipt, chopped up with onion, celery, and parsley. Cut themeat into several pieces, put it with the fat, etc. , into afrying-pan. Add salt and pepper. Cook until the meat is colored, thenadd two tablespoons of wine, white or red. When the wine is absorbedadd two tablespoons of tomato paste dissolved in hot water. (Or tomatosauce as in preceding. ) Boil all together for five minutes, with coveron the saucepan, then add one cup of boiling water, and allow it tosimmer until the meat is thoroughly cooked--about one-half an hour. Boil and strain the macaroni as before, and pour over it the saucefrom the meat. Mix well, and serve with the meat in the middle and themacaroni around it, with cheese (grated Parmesan) sprinkled over it. This dish can be made with veal or mutton instead of the beef. MACARONI WITH BUTTER AND CHEESE(_Maccheroni al Burro_) Boil and drain the macaroni. Take four tablespoons of table-butter, three tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese, add to the macaroni inthe saucepan, mix well over the fire, and serve. SICILIAN MACARONI WITH EGGPLANT Slice one eggplant and put it under a weighted plate to extract thebitter juices. Then fry the slices delicately in lard. Make a ragoutof chickens' hearts and livers as follows: Put two tablespoons ofbutter into a saucepan, fry the hearts and livers, and when cooked addtwo tablespoons of tomato paste, thinned with hot water (or acorresponding amount of tomato sauce). Cook for fifteen minutes. Prepare three-quarters of a pound of macaroni, boiled and drained, then put it into the saucepan with the hearts and livers, add theeggplant and three tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. Mix welltogether and serve. VERMICELLI WITH OLIVE-OIL AND ANCHOVIES Take one-half pound of vermicelli, boil in salted water and drain. While boiling put into a saucepan three anchovies, cut up fine, withfour tablespoons of olive-oil. Fry the anchovies in the oil, then putthe vermicelli into the saucepan, mix well for a few moments on thefire, then serve. VERMICELLI WITH OLIVE-OIL, OLIVES, CAPERS, AND ANCHOVIES Take one-half pound of vermicelli and cover it well with salted water. Cook for about ten minutes. While it is boiling put into a saucepanfour tablespoons of olive-oil, three anchovies cut up fine with sixolives (ripe ones preferable) and one-half tablespoon of capers. Whenthese are fried add the vermicelli (well drained), mix well, and putthe saucepan at the back of the stove. Turn the vermicelli over with afork every few minutes until it is thoroughly cooked. VERMICELLI WITH FISH Boil one-half pound of vermicelli in salted water, drain, and mix withtwo tablespoons of olive-oil and a little chopped-up parsley. Then setto one side to get cool. Take five smelts, split them, take out the bones, and fry themslightly in one teaspoon of olive-oil. Butter a pan and sprinkle it with bread crumbs. Then put into itone-half of the cold vermicelli. Pour over this some thick tomatosauce (one tablespoon of tomato paste cooked in two tablespoons ofolive-oil). Then put in the smelts cut in two, some anchovy, a fewcapers, and three or four ripe olives chopped up with one mushroom. Then add the rest of the tomato sauce, then the other half of thevermicelli, and on top a layer of bread crumbs. Season all well withsalt and pepper. Put the pan into a moderate oven, and cook about anhour and a quarter, adding a little olive-oil when necessary, so thatit will not dry up too much. Any fish may be used instead of the smelts, cutting it into thinstrips. SPAGHETTI WITH TUNNY-FISH While one-half pound of spaghetti is boiling in salted water preparethe following: Take two ounces of tunny-fish and cut them into smallpieces. Put them into a saucepan and fry them in their own oil. Thisoil is generally sufficient, but should it not be, add anothertablespoon of olive-oil. When the tunny have been fried add ateaspoonful of chopped parsley and four tomatoes, peeled and the seedsremoved, and a pinch of pepper. Let the tomatoes cook thoroughly. When they are cooked put the spaghetti into the saucepan and move themabout with a fork and spoon until they are thoroughly mixed with thesauce and the tunny. Then serve. TIMBALE OF VERMICELLI WITH TOMATOES(_Neapolitan Receipt_) Take ten medium-sized fresh tomatoes and cut them in two crosswise. Put a layer of these into a baking-dish with the liquid side touchingthe bottom of the dish. Now put another layer with the liquid side up, sprinkle on salt and pepper. Break the raw vermicelli the length ofthe baking-dish and put a layer of it on top of the tomatoes. Now addanother layer of the tomatoes, with the skin side touching thevermicelli, a second layer with the liquid side up, salt and pepper, and another layer of the raw vermicelli, and so on, the top layerbeing of tomatoes with their liquid side touching the vermicelli. Heatthree or four tablespoons of good lard (or butter), and when the lardboils pour it over the tomatoes and vermicelli; then put the dish intothe oven and cook until the vermicelli is thoroughly done. Aftercooling a little while, turn it out into a platter. MACARONI "ALLA SAN GIOVANNELLO" While three-quarters of a pound of macaroni are boiling in saltedwater prepare the following: Chop up fine two ounces of ham fat with alittle parsley. Peel six medium-sized tomatoes, cut them open, removethe seeds, and any hard or unripe parts, and put them on one side. Take a frying-pan and put into it one scant tablespoon of butter andthe chopped ham fat. When the grease is colored put in the slicedtomatoes with salt and pepper. When the tomatoes are cooked and beginto sputter put the macaroni into the pan with them, mix well, addgrated Parmesan cheese, and serve. RIBBON MACARONI(_Pasta fatta in Casa. Fettuccini_) 2 1/2 cups of flour 2 eggs 3 tablespoons of cold water 1/2 teaspoon of salt Put the flour on a bread-board. Make a hole in the middle of it, andbreak the eggs into it. Add the water and the salt, and mix alltogether with a fork until the flour is all absorbed and you have apaste which you can roll out. Then take a rolling-pin and roll it outvery thin, about the thickness of a ten-cent piece. Leave it spreadout like this until it has dried a little. Then double it over anumber of times, always lengthwise, and cut it across in strips aboutone-half inch wide. Boil two quarts of salted water, and put theribbons into it, and cook for ten minutes, then drain. Serve with themeat and sauce as in receipt for Macaroni with Meat and Sauce, or withthe tomato sauce and cheese only, as desired. RAVIOLI WITH MEAT Prepare the paste as in the preceding receipt. Take whatever meat is desired--chicken, turkey, or veal--this mustalways be cooked. (Left-over meat may be utilized this way. ) Chop themeat very fine, add one tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese, one egg, a dash of nutmeg, a dash of grated lemon-peel, one tablespoon ofbutter, cold. Mix these ingredients in a bowl. Take a teaspoon of themixture and put it into the extended paste, about two inches from theedge. Take another spoonful and put it about two inches away from thefirst spoonful. Continue to do this until you have a row ofteaspoonfuls across the paste. Then fold over the edge of the paste soas to cover the spoonfuls of mixture, and cut across the paste at thebottom of them. Then cut into squares with the meat in the middle ofeach square; press down the paste a little at the edges so the meatcannot fall out. Continue to do this until all the meat and the pasteare used up. Put the little squares of paste and meat into the boiling salted watera few at a time, and boil for ten minutes. Serve with tomato sauce, orbutter and grated Parmesan cheese. RAVIOLI WITH BRAINS Take one lamb's brains and parboil in slightly salted water for fiveminutes. Put into a bowl with a small quantity of curds, one egg, saltand pepper, dash of nutmeg, and a little grated Parmesan cheese, andmix all together. Then put by teaspoonfuls on the paste as inpreceding receipt. Cook for ten minutes in boiling salted water, andserve with tomato sauce. RAVIOLI OF CURDS AND SPINACH 1 small bunch of spinach 1/2 pound of curds Cook the spinach, drain, and chop up fine, add the curds, one egg, salt and pepper, dash of nutmeg, and a little grated cheese. Add tothe paste, and boil as before. SWEET RAVIOLI(_Ravioli Dolce_) These ravioli can be used also as a dessert by preparing them asfollows: Take 1/2 pound of flour 1 tablespoon of butter 2 tablespoons of lard Work this into a paste and roll out thin. Take one-half pound of curds, add one egg, and the yolk of a secondegg, two tablespoons of granulated sugar, a few drops of extract ofvanilla. Mix well together and add to the paste as before. Then fry inlard until a golden brown. Serve with powdered sugar. TIMBALE OF MACARONI Take a small piece of ham fat, one-half of onion, piece of celery, parsley, small piece of carrot. Chop up fine together. Put into asaucepan, and when the vegetables are fried add two or three mushroomswhich have been chopped fine; after five minutes add two tablespoonsof tomato paste, thinned with five tablespoons of hot water (or equalquantity of tomato sauce without water). When the sauce is cooked takeout the mushrooms and put them on one side. Take one-half pound of macaroni. Boil in salted water for fifteenminutes, drain, and add the sauce described above. Add two tablespoonsParmesan cheese, grated, and one tablespoon of butter. Butter well a mold, then cover with a thin layer of bread crumbs thebottom and sides. Pour into the mold one-half the macaroni, then placeon it a layer of mushrooms which you have taken out of the sauce. Nowadd the other half of the macaroni, and then another thin layer ofbread crumbs. Put the mold into the oven without turning it over, andbake in a slow oven until well browned. Then turn out and serve. To this timbale, if desired for variety, cold meat of any kind cut upfine may be added to the sauce; and one egg, hard boiled, and cut intofour pieces. Add the egg, and the pieces of meat which you haveremoved from the sauce, to the timbale at the same time that you addthe mushrooms. RICE TIMBALE This timbale is made in the same way as the preceding one, onlysubstituting rice for macaroni. One-half cup of rice. TIMBALE OF RIBBON MACARONI This is prepared as the two preceding ones, using Ribbon Macaroniinstead of rice or ordinary macaroni. RICE, ETC. RICE WITH PEAS 1/2 cup of rice Grated Parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons of butter 1 small onion Chop the onion up fine and put it into the saucepan with one-half thebutter (one tablespoon). Cook until the onion is brown, then pour onthe rice (raw) and fry until the rice is dry. Then add hot water, aladleful at a time, taking care not to let the rice boil too hard, asit will then become hard in the middle and floury around the edges. When the rice is cooked, put the saucepan at the back of the stove, and add the rest of the butter. Before taking off the stove add alittle grated Parmesan cheese and the peas, which have been preparedas follows: Take a small piece of ham fat, one-half small onion, and some parsley. Chop together fine, add three tablespoons of olive-oil, salt andpepper, and put into a saucepan on the fire. When the onion is coloredadd one can of green peas (or fresh peas, according to season). Whenthe peas have absorbed all the olive-oil add a sufficient quantity ofbroth to cover them (or water) and cook until peas are soft. Then mixthe peas with the rice, add one tablespoon of Parmesan cheese, andserve. RICE "ALLA ROMANA"(_Risotto alla Romana_) A small piece of ham fat 1 stalk of celery Parsley 1 onion 2 mushrooms canned, or 1 fresh mushroom 1/3 pound of lean beef Chop these ingredients together and put them into a large saucepanwith a small piece of butter. Cook until the meat is well browned. Then add one tablespoon of red or white wine. Cook for a few minutes, then add one tablespoon of tomato paste dissolved in a little hotwater, or two and one-half tablespoons of the other tomato sauce. Cookwell, adding from time to time a little water--one-half cup in all. Wash the rice (a little less than a cupful), add it to the otheringredients in the saucepan, and cook for about twenty minutes, untilthe rice is soft, adding more water from time to time. Then add twotablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese, mix well, and serve, with morecheese if desired. RISOTTO "ALLA NOSTRALE" Take a small piece of onion, slice into small bits, and put into asaucepan with two tablespoons of butter. Cook until onion is browned. Wash well one-half cup of rice. Put it into the saucepan with theonion, add salt and pepper, and fry until the rice is dry. Then takeone and one-half tablespoons of tomato paste, thinned with hot water(or two tablespoons of other tomato sauce), and add to the rice. Little by little add hot water until the rice is cooked through (aboutone cup of hot water). Then add grated cheese, Parmesan or Gruyere, one and one-half tablespoons of butter, and mix well over the fire, then serve. This rice can be served alone or with fried sausages, or with coldchicken, or any left-over meat prepared in the following manner: Take one and one-half tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. Cut thecold meat into slices, and add them to the butter. Fry well, then takeone and one-half tablespoons of tomato paste, thinned in water (orthree tablespoons tomato sauce). Add to the meat a little at a time. Simmer for one-half hour, then put into the middle of hot platter, surrounded by rice, and pour this sauce over all. Add a handful ofgrated Parmesan cheese to the rice. This preparation of meat can be served with macaroni or corn-mealinstead of the rice. RICE WITH BUTTER AND CHEESE(_Riso in Bianco_) Take one-half cup of rice. Boil in salted water. After twenty minutesof boiling take off the fire and drain. Then put the rice back into asaucepan with three tablespoons of grated cheese (Parmesan) and threetablespoons of butter. Mix well and serve as an entree, or around aplate of meat. . RICE WITH TOMATOES Boil a cup of rice soft in hot water. Shake it now and then, but donot stir it. Drain it, add a little milk in which a beaten egg hasbeen mixed, one teaspoon of butter, and a little pepper and salt. Simmer for five minutes, and if the rice has not absorbed all themilk, drain it again. Put the rice around a dish, smooth it into awall, wash it over with the yolk of a beaten egg, and put it into theoven until firm. Take the strained juice and pulp of seven or eighttomatoes, season with pepper, a little salt and sugar, and one-half ofa chopped-up onion; stew for twenty minutes, then stir in onetablespoon of butter and two tablespoons of fine bread crumbs. Stewthree or four minutes to thicken, and then pour the tomatoes into thedish, in the middle of the rice, and serve. RICE WITH TOMATOES "ALL' INDIANA" Wash a cup of rice and boil it. Take seven or eight good-sizedtomatoes, boil and strain them, and season with salt and a littleallspice. Take a baking-dish and put into it alternate layers oftomato and rice, finishing off with a layer of tomato, covered up withgrated bread crumbs moistened with melted butter. Bake in a moderateoven for a good half-hour. RISOTTO WITH HAM Cut into small pieces one ounce of raw ham, fat and lean. Chop up finea small piece of onion, and put it with the ham into a frying-pan withone-half a tablespoon of butter. Fry slowly until the ham and onionsare golden. Then add one-half cup of uncooked rice; when it has cookedfor a few minutes, add twice its height of bouillon (or water), saltand pepper, a dash of nutmeg, and mix well and allow it to boil fortwenty minutes over a good fire. Then take off the stove, add twotablespoons of butter and two tablespoons of Parmesan cheese grated;mix well and serve. RICE WITH MUSHROOMS 10 mushrooms if canned, or 5 or 6 if fresh ones 3/4 of a cup of rice Chop up a little onion, parsley, celery, and carrot together, and putthem on the fire with two tablespoons of good olive-oil. When thissauce is colored, add two tablespoons of tomato paste, thinned withhot water (or a corresponding quantity of tomato sauce). Season withsalt and pepper. Cut the mushrooms into small pieces, and add them tothe sauce. Cook for twenty minutes over a medium fire. Put on oneside and prepare the rice as follows: Fry the rice with a lump of butter until dry; then add hot water, alittle at a time, and boil gently. When the rice is half cooked (afterabout ten minutes) add the mushrooms and sauce, and cook for anotherten minutes. Add grated Parmesan cheese before serving. POLENTA(_Indian Meal_) 3/4 of a cup of yellow Indian meal (fine) 3 cups of water Put the water into a granite or iron saucepan, add salt. When itbegins to boil add the Indian meal, little by little. Keep stirringconstantly as you pour it in, to prevent lumps. Boil for one-halfhour, stirring constantly over a moderate fire. If desired, a littlemore water may be added if preferred not so thick. Add grated cheeseand butter. POLENTA FRITTERS Put one pinch of salt and one tablespoon of sugar into a cup of milk, and put it on to boil. As soon as it boils pour in, little by little, one-half scant cup of fine Indian meal, stirring constantly with awooden spoon. Allow it to boil gently for twenty minutes. Take it off the stove, add one level tablespoon of butter and the yolkof one egg and a little grated lemon-peel. Beat up well to mix the eggand butter. Then turn the mixture onto the bread-board, which has beendampened; spread it out to the thickness of a finger. Allow it tocool, then cut into squares or diamonds or little rounds, dip theseinto egg and then into the bread crumbs, and fry them in boiling lard, a few at a time. Sprinkle with sugar, and serve hot. POLENTA "ALLA TOSCANA" 2 cups of Indian meal 3 pints of cold water Put the water on, and when it boils add salt. Then add the Indianmeal, little by little, stirring all the time. Allow it to boil over amoderate fire for one-half hour, stirring constantly. When the mealhas become quite stiff, take a wooden spoon and dip it into hot water, and with it detach the Indian meal from the side of the saucepan, thenhold the saucepan for a moment over the hottest part of the fire, until the Indian meal has become detached from the bottom. Then turnit out onto the bread-board; it should come out whole in a mold. Letit stand a few moments to cool. Then with a wire cut it into slicesabout the thickness of a finger. Place these slices on a hot platterin a layer; pour over them a good meat gravy and grated cheese; thenput on another layer of the polenta, and add more gravy and cheese, and so on, until your polenta is used up. POLENTA WITH CHOPPED SAUSAGES Prepare the Indian meal as in the preceding receipt. Take four Deerfoot sausages (or two, if a larger variety of sausage), remove the skins, chop fine, then fry in butter. When they are a nicebrown add one tablespoon of stock, and two tablespoons of tomato pastethinned with hot water (or a corresponding amount of the tomatosauce). Cook for fifteen minutes more. Then cut the polenta in slices as inpreceding receipt and add the chopped sausages with their sauce andgrated cheese, in layers as before. CHICKEN WITH POLENTA Take a small chicken; clean and prepare it. Take a slice of ham fatfour fingers wide and one finger long (or one tablespoon of goodlard). Chop up very fine with a chopping knife, and put into agood-sized saucepan. Take one-half an onion, a small carrot, a pieceof celery, and cut all into very small pieces and add them all to thefat. Then put in the chicken, the salt, pepper, and a pinch ofallspice, and cover the saucepan. Cook until the chicken is covered, basting with the grease, and turning the chicken until it is brown onall sides; then add one-third of a glass of red or white wine. Whenthe wine has become absorbed, add one tablespoon of the tomato paste, dissolved in a cup of hot water (or a cup of tomato sauce not toothick). Cook for a few moments more--until the chicken is thoroughlycooked. Prepare the Indian meal as in receipt for Indian meal, and serve thechicken surrounded by the Indian meal, with the sauce poured over alland grated cheese sprinkled over the Indian meal. Pigeon may be prepared in the same way as the chicken and served withthe Indian meal; or either one may be served instead of the Indianmeal with rice, as in receipt for Risotto alla Nostrale; Macaroni, asin receipt for Macaroni with Butter, or Ribbon Macaroni, as in receiptgiven. POLENTA PASTICCIATA 3/4 of a cup of Indian meal 1 quart of milk Boil the milk, and add the Indian meal, a little at a time, when milkis boiling, stirring constantly. Cook for one-half an hour, stirringconstantly. Add salt just before taking off the fire. The Indian mealshould be stiff when finished. Turn it onto the bread-board, andspread it out to the thickness of two fingers. While it is cookingprepare a meat sauce, and a Bechamel sauce as follows: MEAT SAUCE Take a small piece of beef, a small piece of ham, fat and lean, onetablespoon of butter, a small piece of onion, a small piece of carrot, a small piece of celery, a pinch of flour, one-half cup of bouillon(or same amount of water), pepper. Cut the meat into small dice; chopup fine together the ham, onion, carrot, and celery. Put these alltogether with some pepper into a saucepan with the butter, and whenthe meat is brown, add the pinch of flour, and the bouillon a littleat a time (or the water), and cook for about one-half an hour. Thissauce should not be strained. BECHAMEL SAUCE Take one tablespoon of flour, and one tablespoon of butter. Put theminto a saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon until they have become agolden-brown color. Then add, a little at a time, one pint of milk;stir constantly until the sauce is as thick as custard, and is whitein color. If it grows too thick, a little more milk may be added; orif it is too thin, a tiny lump of butter rolled in flour will thickenit. Now take the cold Indian meal and cut it into squares about two inchesacross. Take a baking-dish of medium depth, butter well, then put in alayer of squares of Indian meal close together, to entirely cover thebottom of the dish. Sprinkle over it grated cheese; then pour on thetop enough meat sauce to cover the layer (about two tablespoons), thenon the top of this add a layer of Bechamel sauce. Then put anotherlayer of the squares of Indian meal, sprinkle with grated cheese asbefore, add meat sauce, then Bechamel sauce, and continue in this wayuntil the baking-dish is full, having for the top layer the Bechamelsauce. Put the dish into a moderate oven, and bake until it is agolden brown on top. POLENTA CAKE(_Migliaccio di Farina Gialla_) 2 cups of coarse Indian meal 1/2 cup of raisins 1/2 teaspoon of salt 3 teaspoons of sugar (granulated) 3 tablespoons of lard Mix the salt, sugar, and raisins with the Indian meal in a bowl, thenpour in boiling water, a little at a time, and stir well with a woodenspoon until you have a stiff paste and no dry meal remains sticking tothe bottom of the bowl. Then take a cake-tin and grease it well with one-half of the lard. Then turn out the Indian meal into the pan, and even it out with thewooden spoon. Spread on the top of this the rest of the lard, softenedslightly so as you can spread it easily. Cook in a slow oven until agolden brown. Serve hot. GNOCCHI OF FARINA(_Gnocchi di Semolina_) 1 pint of milk 1 egg 1/2 cup of farina Butter and cheese Put the milk on, and when it boils add salt. Take a wooden spoon and, stirring constantly, add the farina little by little. Cook for tenminutes, stirring constantly. Take off the fire and break into thefarina one egg; mix very quickly, so that the egg will not have timeto set. Spread the farina onto the breadboard about the height of afinger. Allow it to cool, then cut it into squares or diamonds abouttwo or three inches across. Butter well a baking-dish, and put in thebottom a layer of the squares of farina; sprinkle over a little gratedParmesan cheese (or Gruyere), and put here and there a small dab ofbutter. Then put in another layer of the squares of farina; add cheeseand butter as before. Continue in this way until your baking-dish isfull, having on the top layer butter and cheese. Bake in a hot oven until a brown crust forms. Serve in thebaking-dish. GNOCCHI OF POTATO Take six medium-sized potatoes and put them on to boil in theirskins. When they are done, peel them and pass them through a finecolander. Add a little salt. Take one cup of flour, and mix on thebread-board with the potatoes until they form a paste. Roll this pastewith the hands into a sausage about the thickness of three fingers. Cut this roll across into pieces about an inch long. Press thesepieces lightly with the finger or the handle of the knife, so theywill take little cup-shaped forms. Leave these to one side, and puttwo quarts of salted water on to boil. When it boils add the gnocchi afew at a time, until all are in the water. When the gnocchi rise tothe surface of the water, take them out with the skimmer. Put theminto a platter a few at a time, adding each time gravy and cheese, andcovering them well. Put a layer of grated cheese sprinkled on top. Serve with meat, or as a first course. GNOCCHI OF MILK--A DESSERT 1 cup of milk 1 level tablespoon of powdered starch 2 or 3 drops of vanilla extract 2 yolks of eggs 2 tablespoons of sugar Put all these ingredients together into a saucepan and mix togetherwith a wooden spoon for a few moments. Then put onto the back of thestove where it is not too hot, and cook until the mixture has becomestiff. Cook a few moments longer, stirring always; then turn out ontoa bread-board and spread to a thickness of a finger and a half. When cold, cut into diamonds or squares the width of two fingers. Butter abaking-dish, and put the squares into it overlapping each other. Add afew dabs of butter here and there. Put another layer of the squares inthe dish, more dabs of butter, and so on until the dish is full. Brownin the oven. SAUCES ROUX FOR SAUCES Roux is necessary to thicken and give body to sauces. Put onetablespoon of flour and one of butter into a saucepan and cook untilthe flour has lost any raw taste. Then put the saucepan on the back ofthe stove and add slowly the stock or milk, one cup for everytablespoon of butter or flour, and stir until smooth. For white saucestake care the flour does not color; for dark sauces let it brown, buttake care it does not burn. AGRO DOLCE SAUCE Take two tablespoons of sugar (brown or white), one-half a cup ofcurrants, a quarter of a bar of grated chocolate, one tablespoon ofchopped candied orange, one of lemon-peel, one of capers, and one cupof vinegar. Mix well together and let soak for two hours; pour it overvenison or veal, and simmer for ten minutes. BECHAMEL SAUCE NO. 1 Put two ounces of butter and two tablespoons of flour into a saucepanand stir for five minutes. Pour one and one-half pints of boiling milkgradually in, beating well with a whisk. Add some nutmeg, a fewpeppercorns, a pinch of salt, and some chopped mushrooms. Cook forone-quarter of an hour, and rub through a fine sieve. BECHAMEL SAUCE NO. 2 Mix three tablespoons of butter and three of flour to a smooth paste, put some peppercorns, one-half an onion, one-half a carrot sliced, asmall piece of mace, two teacups of white stock, a pinch of salt andof grated nutmeg, in a stew-pan; simmer for one-half an hour, stirringoften, then add one teacup of cream; boil at once, and strain andserve. TOMATO SAUCE NO. 1 Take ten fresh tomatoes, remove the skins, cut them up; put them intoa saucepan and boil them until soft. Then pass them through a sieve. Put their juice into a saucepan with one heaping tablespoon of butteror one-half tablespoon of good lard, salt and pepper, and boil again, adding water if the sauce becomes too thick. This sauce can be kept ina bottle for several days. It can be used for macaroni, etc. , in placeof the tomato paste. TOMATO SAUCE NO. 2 Mince one-quarter of an onion, one-half a stalk of celery, a fewleaves of sweet basil, and a bunch of parsley up fine. Add one-halfcup of olive-oil, a pinch of salt and one of pepper, and cut eight ornine tomatoes into slices. Boil until the sauce is as thick as cream, stirring occasionally, then strain through a sieve and serve. TOMATO SAUCE NO. 3 Take four pounds of tomatoes, cut them in two, and put them into atwo-quart saucepan with two wine-glasses of water, two saltspoons ofsalt, one of pepper, cover the saucepan, and boil for forty minutes, stirring often to prevent burning; then strain. Make a roux in anothersaucepan with one ounce of butter and three-quarters of an ounce offlour. Cook for three minutes, mixing well. Take roux off the fire, and pour the tomatoes into it a little at a time, stirring to keep itsmooth. Add two wineglasses of stock, put on the fire, and cook fortwenty minutes, stirring all the time. BUTTER SAUCE Take eight ounces of butter, one tablespoon of salt, one of pepper, and two tablespoons of lemon juice. Stir with a wooden spoon over thefire until the butter is half melted, then take it off and continue tostir until it is quite liquid. By taking the butter off the stovebefore it is all melted it will have a pleasant taste of fresh cream;this is all lost otherwise. LOMBARDA SAUCE Put two tumblers of white roux and one of chicken jelly into asaucepan, reduce, and add three yolks of eggs mixed with two ounces ofbutter and the juice of one-half lemon. Before it boils take thesaucepan off the fire, and add one tumbler of thick tomato sauce (seeSauces, page 30), strain, and just before serving add one tablespoonof sweet herbs minced fine. "ALLA PANNA" SAUCE Melt one-half a pound of butter, add a little flour, salt, pepper, andgrated nutmeg. Stir until thick, then add one pint of cream, a littlechopped parsley, and heat for five minutes. MEAT SAUCE Put into a saucepan one pound of beef and one-half an onion chopped upwith three ounces of lard, some parsley, salt, pepper, one clove, anda very small slice of ham. Fry these over a hot fire for a fewmoments, moving them continually, and when the onion is browned addfour tablespoons of red wine, and four tablespoons of tomato sauce (ortomato paste). When this sauce begins to sputter, add, little bylittle, some boiling water. Stick a fork into the meat from time totime to allow the juices to escape. Take a little of the sauce in aspoon, and when it looks a good golden color, and there is asufficient quantity to cover the meat, put the covered saucepan at theback of the stove and allow it to simmer until the meat is thoroughlycooked. Then take out the meat, slice it, prepare macaroni, or anypaste you desire, and serve it with the meat, and the sauce pouredover all, and the addition of butter and grated cheese. ECONOMICAL SAUCE Take one-half of an old onion and chop it up fine. Take one smallcarrot, wash it, scrape it, and cut it into transverse slices; do thesame with a stalk of celery, some parsley, and one fresh or cannedmushroom. Then take a slice of ham (raw if possible), fat and lean, about four fingers wide and one finger high. Chop it up fine, and putit into a medium-sized saucepan with one tablespoon of butter. Whenthe ham is colored, put in the chopped-up vegetables, one clove, salt, and pepper, and stir constantly, allowing the vegetables to cookthoroughly but not to burn, which will destroy the taste of the sauce. It should be a golden color. A little red wine may be added if youhave it, but this is not necessary. Then add four fresh tomatoes, cutinto several pieces, the skins removed, and the seeds taken out. Allowthese to cook in the sauce until they sputter, then add a little water(or bouillon if you have it), allow it to boil for a few moments more, then take it off the fire and pass it through a sieve or finecolander, pressing hard so that all will pass through. If it is toothick after straining, add water or bouillon, and put it back andallow it to boil again a few moments. This sauce can be used formacaroni, gnocchi, left-over meat, egg, etc. The success of the saucedepends upon the proper frying of the onion in it. HOT PIQUANTE SAUCE Chop up fine two ounces of lean ham and a small piece of onion, add alittle celery, the stalks of parsley, one clove, one-half tablespoonof pepper, and one-half bay-leaf. Pour over these ingredients a scantone-half cup of vinegar. Cover the saucepan and allow it to boil untilit has consumed one-half. Put into another saucepan one-half cup ofbouillon (or water in which you have dissolved one tablespoon ofextract of beef). Allow it to boil, and then thicken with a teaspoonof potato flour which has been diluted in a little cold water. Dropthis, little by little, into the saucepan until you have gained therequired thickness for the sauce. Then pour in the boiled vinegar, passing it through cheese-cloth. Mix well together and add a teaspoonof French mustard, some capers, and some chopped-up pickles. Serve hotwith meats or tongue. The pepper should predominate in this sauce. PIQUANTE SAUCE WITH EGG Take some anchovy paste--one tablespoon, two tablespoons of choppedparsley, some capers and chopped pickles, one teaspoon of Frenchmustard and the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs. Work this all togetherinto a paste, then add three tablespoons of olive-oil and two or threeof vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper. This sauce is good withboth meat and fish. EGGS EGGS WITH PEAS Take one and one-half cups of green peas, and cook them with one andone-half tablespoons of good butter, and a pinch of salt. Take fourhard-boiled eggs, cut them in two lengthwise, and put them on aplatter; pour over them the peas as a sauce. EGGS "ALLA MILANESE" Hard boil four eggs, cut them in four pieces each, put them in aplatter, and pour over them the following sauce: CREAM OF LEMON SAUCE Take one cup of cold water, and pour one-half of it in a bowl with onetablespoon of starch, stir well until starch is dissolved. Pour theother one-half onto one heaping tablespoon of powered sugar and boilfor a few moments--until sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Allow it tocool, and then add the starch, and one cup of milk, a pinch of salt, alittle grated lemon-rind, and two yolks of eggs. Mix all thoroughly, then strain through a sieve, then put on the stove again, and over amoderate fire, stir it constantly, always in the same direction, untilit has assumed the thickness you desire. EGGS "ALLA SCIARMANTE" Hard boil four eggs; cut into several pieces. Then prepare thefollowing: Boil down to a syrup one heaping tablespoon of sugar, rind ofone-quarter of lemon, one scant cup of water, and a little piece ofcinnamon. Then remove the lemon-rind and the cinnamon, and add one cupof milk or cream. When heated through, take off of fire, and add theyolks of four eggs, beating well together. Then pour the sauce overthe hard-boiled eggs in a shallow baking-dish, put it in a verymoderate oven, and bake. Before serving squeeze on a little lemonjuice and garnish with squares of fried bread. EGGS WITH PIQUANTE SAUCE Chop up fine one pickled pepper, one teaspoon of capers, one-halfsmall pickled onion and one pickle, and some parsley. Dissolve inboiling water one tablespoon of butter, add the juice of one-half oflemon, a pinch of flour to give a little body, and the choppedpickles. If too sour add some sugar. Hard boil four eggs, cut them in four, and pour over them the sauce. EGGS "ALLA MONACHILE" Hard boil four eggs, divide them in half, and pour over them thefollowing sauce: Put two tablespoons of vinegar into a saucepan andone tablespoon of sugar (brown or white), fifteen almonds chopped upfine, and a small piece of candied citron. Let it boil for a littlewhile, then add a pinch of cinnamon, cloves, pepper, and salt, and iftoo acid add a little water. Before taking off the stove add a little flour to give body to thesauce. Pour over the eggs and serve. EGGS "ALLA FIORENTINA" Hard boil four eggs. Let them cool in a bowl of cold water. Peel themand divide them in half. Take the yolks and mix with them one heapingtablespoon of butter, one tablespoon of Parmesan cheese grated, and alittle salt and pepper. Put this mixture into a saucepan with theyolks of two raw eggs, and one-half of the white of one egg. Stir welluntil the mixture becomes thick. Then fill the hard-boiled whites ofthe eggs with the stuffing; if any stuffing remains over, spread it onthe platter under the eggs. Then put one-half cup of milk in asaucepan with one-half tablespoon of butter and one-half tablespoon offlour, salt, and pepper. Boil for a few moments, stirring well, thenpour over the eggs, sprinkle well with grated Parmesan cheese, and putin the oven and brown. LIGHTNING OMELETTE Butter a baking-dish and put in the bottom of it slices of stale bread(brown bread is better than white) which have been dipped in milk. Then put in a layer of very thin slices of Gruyere cheese. Take twoeggs, beat them up to a froth, add salt and pepper, pour them into abaking-dish on top of the bread and cheese, then put it in the ovenuntil it is browned on top. Serve hot. EGGS "ALLA PIACENTINA" Take the whites of four eggs, and beat until stiff. Then add the yolksand one rounded tablespoon of melted butter, and a little salt andpepper. Take a small baking-dish, butter it well, and put in thebottom a layer or two of very thin slices of cheese, Parmesan orGruyere. Put into the oven for a few moments until thoroughly heated, then pour on the whites of eggs mixed with the other ingredients, putback in the oven, and serve when the eggs are a golden brown. EGGS "ALLA BENEDETTINA" Roast two small peppers, take off their skins, remove the seeds, andcut into strips. Take two tomatoes (not too ripe), boil them, removethe skins and seeds, and cut into thin strips also. Then wash twoanchovies, remove the bones, and cut also into strips. Take a smallbaking-dish, put in the strips of peppers and tomatoes and theanchovies. Add two tablespoons of good olive-oil and put on the top ofthe stove until the ingredients boil. Then break into the dish foureggs, taking care to keep the yolks whole. Add salt and pepper, andput the dish into the oven until the eggs are cooked. EGGS "ALLA ROMANA" Beat four eggs, whites and yolks together. Add one tablespoon of milkor cream, salt and pepper, one tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese, and a little chopped-up parsley. With this make three or fouromelettes about the thickness of a ten-cent piece. As the omelettesare finished lay them on a napkin to cool; then cut them transverselyinto strips about one-quarter of an inch wide. Then put the stripsinto a saucepan with some heated butter. Heat them through thoroughlyand serve with grated cheese and the following meat sauce poured overthem: MEAT SAUCE Chop up some ham fat with a little onion, celery, carrot, and parsley. Add a small piece of beef and cook until beef is well colored. Thenadd one and one-half tablespoons of red wine (or white), cook untilwine is absorbed, then add one tablespoon of tomato paste diluted withwater, or four fresh tomatoes, and boil fifteen minutes. FISH CODFISH "ALLA GIARDINIERA" Take one pound of salted codfish, boil it, remove the skin and bones, and shred it. Then take one good carrot, one-half a turnip, scrapethem, cut them into slices, and boil them for a few moments. Thendrain off the water, and put them into a saucepan with one andone-half tablespoons of butter and finish cooking them, adding fromtime to time a little boiling water. When the vegetables are cookedadd the codfish, mix well, and serve. CODFISH WITH EGG SAUCE Take one pound of salt codfish. Boil it and remove the skin and bones. Then fry lightly in butter, adding chopped-up parsley, salt, andpepper. Stir about constantly, and add from time to time a littleboiling water, until the fish is thoroughly cooked. Then beat up theyolks of two eggs and add them with a little flour, and cook for a fewmoments more. Squeeze on some lemon juice and serve. CODFISH "ALLA MARINAIA" Take one pound of salt codfish. Boil slightly until you can remove theskin and bones. Chop up fine a piece of onion, and parsley, and frythem in a saucepan with three tablespoons of best olive-oil, then putin the codfish with salt, pepper, and a pinch of allspice. While thisis cooking, put into another saucepan three tablespoons of bestvinegar, two tablespoons of fish broth, and one-half bay-leaf. Add alittle flour to give body to the sauce, stir well, then remove thebay-leaf, and take the saucepan off the fire. Arrange the platter withpieces of fried bread in a layer on the bottom, then the codfish, andthen the sauce poured over it. FRESH CODFISH "AL VINO BIANCO" Remove the bones from three-quarters of a pound of fresh codfish. Cutinto slices lengthwise. Butter a baking-dish, put in the fish, putmore butter on top of it, salt and pepper, and one-half glass of drywhite wine. Cook for twenty minutes in a hot oven, then place the fishon a platter, take the juice left over in the baking-dish, put it intoa saucepan, add a little flour, some more butter, and the juice ofhalf a lemon. Before taking off the fire, add some chopped-up parsley, and then pour the sauce over the fish, and serve. CODFISH WITH GREEN PEPPERS Take one-half pound of salted codfish which has been soaked to removethe saltiness. Remove the skin and bones, and cut the codfish intosmall squares. Then dip it again into fresh water, and put the squaresonto a napkin to dry. The fish may either be left as it is, or beforeproceeding, you may roll it in flour and fry it in lard or oil. Then take two good-sized green peppers, roast them on top of thestove, remove the skins and seeds, wash them, dry them, and cut themin narrow strips. When this is done put three generous tablespoons ofolive-oil into a saucepan with one onion cut up small, and fry theonion over a slow fire. Take two big tomatoes, skin them, remove the seeds and hard parts, andcut them into small pieces. When the onion has taken a good color, addthe tomatoes, and cook until they sputter, then add the peppers and alittle salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thick add a little water. When the peppers are half cooked, add some chopped-up parsley and thecodfish. Cover up the saucepan and let it simmer until the fish iscooked. This dish is also good cold. VEGETABLES ONIONS "ALLA PARMEGIANA" Take six onions. Take out the centers with an apple-corer and fillthem up with the following stuffing: One tablespoon of grated Parmesancheese mixed with two hard-boiled eggs and chopped parsley. Boil themfirst, then roll them in flour and fry them in olive-oil or butter. Then put them in a baking-dish with one-half tablespoon of gratedParmesan cheese and one tablespoon of melted butter. Put them in theoven and bake until golden. ONIONS "ALLA VENEZIANA" Take six small onions, remove the centers with an apple-corer. Boilthem for a few moments, drain them, and stuff them with the following:Take a piece of bread, dip it in milk, squeeze out the milk, and mixthe bread with one tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese, the yolks oftwo hard-boiled eggs. Mix well together, then add some fine-choppedparsley, a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper, and the yolk of one rawegg; mix again well, and then stuff the onions with the mixture. Thendip them in flour and in egg, and fry them in lard. Put them on aplatter and serve with a piquante sauce, made as follows: Chop up finesome pickles, capers, and pickled pepper, and add one-half cup ofwater. When these are cooked, add one tablespoon of butter and cook alittle while longer, then pour over the onions and serve. LIMA BEANS WITH HAM Take three-quarters of a pound of lima beans, very tender young ones. Put them in boiling water for about five minutes to whiten them. Thenput into a saucepan one heaping tablespoon of butter, some choppedparsley, and one small onion chopped up fine. When the onion is fried, add three ounces of raw ham, also chopped up. When the ham is friedput in the lima beans, and a little while before they are cooked addtwo or three tablespoons of stock. Serve with dice of fried bread. FRIED SQUASH, PARSNIPS, CELERY, AND MUSHROOMS Take two small squash, the smallest size possible; cut off the twoends, divide them in two, and slice them in fine slices lengthwise. Put them in an earthen dish and sprinkle well with salt. Take oneparsnip, scrape it, wash it, and boil it slightly, slice it, add it tothe squash with more salt. Take the heart of celery, boil for amoment, and slice as with the other vegetables. Lastly, take somemushrooms, not very large ones, clean them, boil them a moment, andadd them to the rest. Then dry all the vegetables with a clean towel, mix them all together, roll them thoroughly in flour, dip in egg, andfry in hot lard, dropping them in carelessly. Serve them in a hotdish with a napkin under them. PUMPKIN "ALLA PARMEGIANA" Take a slice of pumpkin, remove the rind and the seeds, cut intosquare pieces, and then slice these into slivers about the thicknessof a ten-cent piece. Boil these for a moment in salted water, drainand put them into a saucepan, and fry in butter, with a little saltand a pinch of allspice. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and meltedbutter. Or, if preferred, when the pumpkin is fried, put it in abaking-dish, add thin slices of cheese (Parmesan or Gruyere), and putit into the oven until browned. FRIED PUMPKIN Take a slice of pumpkin, remove the rind and the seeds. Cut it intostrips as for French fried potatoes, only finer. Roll in flour and dipin egg, and fry in boiling lard or olive-oil. If desired as garnishing for meat, cut the pumpkin exceedingly fine, roll in flour, but not in egg, and fry. SPINACH "ALLA ROMANA" Clean and prepare the spinach. Put one pint of cold water with onetablespoon of salt on to boil, and when it boils put in the spinach. When the spinach is cooked--in about ten minutes--drain it in acolander, and turn onto it the cold water from the faucet for a fewmoments. Then squeeze out all the water with the hands. Put threetablespoons of olive-oil into a frying-pan; when this is thoroughlyhot add the spinach, salt, and pepper. Cook for a few moments, stirring well with a fork and spoon, so the oil will permeate thespinach; then serve. Do not chop the spinach. SPINACH SOUFFLE Wash the spinach in several waters, put it in a covered saucepan on agood fire. Stir now and then to prevent burning, and after fifteenminutes add one tablespoon of salt. Cook five minutes more; drain andsqueeze out the water. Then chop up very fine. Put into a saucepan onegenerous tablespoon of butter, three-quarters tablespoon of flour, stir, and when they are half cooked, add the spinach and a little saltand pepper. Cook for five minutes, then pour in four or fivetablespoons of cream, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Take acup of spinach, prepared as above, beat up the yolk of one egg, mix itwith the spinach, and stir over the fire until the egg is set; thenlet it cool, and before serving stir the well-beaten whites of threeeggs lightly into it. Fill china cups or buttered papered forms halffull, put them into a hot oven for ten or fifteen minutes, and serveat once. If too little baked or not served at once, the souffle willbe spoiled. SPINACH "IN RICCIOLI" Boil the spinach and pass it through a fine colander. Beat up twoeggs, add salt and pepper, and mix enough spinach into them to makethem green. Put a little olive-oil into a frying-pan, and when it isthoroughly heated (but not boiling), pour a little of the egg, turningthe pan about so that the pancake should be as thin as a piece ofpaper and dry. Toss if necessary. Take it out; repeat with the rest ofthe egg. Then take the pancakes, place them one on top of the other, and cut them into pieces the width of a finger and about two incheslong. Fry them in butter, and grate a little Parmesan cheese overthem. They make a very nice garnish. SPINACH IN A MOLD WITH MUSHROOMS Boil the spinach for a few moments, drain, squeeze out the water, thenpound it well, and pass it through a fine colander. Put it into asaucepan with a lump of butter and a few drops of lemon juice. Let itboil for a few moments, then turn it into a dish and allow it to cool. When cold mix with it the beaten-up yolks of two eggs. Put them into abuttered mold, leaving an empty space in the middle. Bake in a slowoven for about an hour. When cooked turn it out onto a dish, and fillup the empty space with mushrooms, which you have prepared as follows:Wash and clean a sufficient quantity of mushrooms and put them into asaucepan with a good-sized lump of butter, a little flour, salt, andpepper. Cook over a brisk fire for ten minutes. Moisten well withchicken broth or stock, and add some roux made as follows: Put onetablespoon of flour and one of butter into a saucepan, and cook untilthe flour has lost all raw taste. Then add stock or milk as desired, slowly--one cup for every tablespoon of butter or flour--and stiruntil smooth. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon on the mushrooms, putthem with their sauce into the spinach, and serve. FLAN OF VEGETABLES Wash, chop up fine, and boil several vegetables, a potato, somespinach, a carrot, and a small beet, etc. , then boil them again in asaucepan with some stock; then add a half a cup of cream or milk, stirwell together, take them off the stove, and let them cool. When cooladd the yolks of two eggs, some grated cheese, and the whites of theeggs beaten up. Put the vegetables into a mold which has been wellbuttered and lined with bread crumbs, and cook in the oven. LETTUCE IN THE OVEN Take several young lettuces, wash them and remove their wilted leaves, tie the tops together, and lay the lettuces side by side in abaking-pan and pour in one and one-half inches of stock. Cover thepan, and put it in a moderate oven for one-half an hour, adding stockwhen necessary. Place a fork under the middle of each lettuce, raiseand drain, and lay them doubled up on a hot dish. Season the gravy inthe pan with butter, salt, and pepper, thicken with one beaten egg, and pour it over the lettuce. Serve hot. CUCUMBERS "ALLA TOSCANA" Peel and blanch three or four cucumbers in boiling salted water forfive minutes. Drain and cut them into pieces one inch thick and putthem into a frying-pan with one ounce of butter, a little flour, andone-half pint of veal broth, stir well, and add some salt and pepper. Reduce for about fifteen minutes, stirring until it boils, add oneteaspoon of chopped parsley, one-half a teaspoon of grated nutmeg, one-half a cup of cream, and the beaten-up yolks of two eggs. Put onthe fire again for three or four minutes. Do not let boil, and servehot. CAULIFLOWER "IN STUFATO" Remove the outer leaves and clean a fine cauliflower. Cut it intoseveral pieces and wash them well with cold water, put them into a potof boiling salted water, and cook quickly for twenty or thirtyminutes, until they are quite tender. Take them out without breaking, and place them on pieces of buttered toast, then put some butter in afrying-pan, add a little flour mixed with some stock, stir well untilit boils, then add several finely chopped mushrooms, and cook a littlemore. Take it off the fire, and add the yolks of two eggs which havebeen well beaten, salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and the juice of onelemon. Pour this sauce over and round the cauliflower, and serve. Thesauce must not be boiled after adding the eggs. CELERY FRIED Cut off the green leaves, and cut the stalks of the celery in piecesabout an inch long. Wash them and then put them into boiling water forfifteen minutes. Then dry on a napkin. Beat up an egg with a littlestock, or hot water, add salt and pepper, dip the celery in, then rollit in bread crumbs, and fry in boiling lard. CELERY WITH TOMATO SAUCE Cut off the green leaves, clean and wash the celery stalks, and thenthrow them into boiling water and boil fast for twenty minutes. Drain, dry well, put them on a dish, and pour a pint of tomato sauce, or tomato paste diluted with hot water, over them. TOMATOES "ALLA PIEMONTESE" Take four rather unripe tomatoes of about the same size, put them intoboiling water and boil for a few minutes. Cut off the stem part, andtake out some of the inside with as many seeds as you can. Fill themwith boiled rice and some mushrooms chopped up small. Pour over themthe yolks of two eggs, place them in the oven to color; serve hot. TOMATOES "ALLA SPAGNUOLA" Take three or four large ripe tomatoes and boil them. Lay them on asieve to drain until wanted, and then pass them through a fine hairsieve. Put them in a stew-pan and stir until all the liquid isevaporated. Then add a small piece of butter and three or four raweggs, stirring them quickly with the tomatoes. When the eggs arecooked, turn all out into a dish and serve hot. TOMATOES WITH EGGS Choose round tomatoes of about equal size and peel them. Cut off theirtops, take out their insides, and drop a raw egg into each, replacingthe top as cover. Put the tomatoes in a baking-dish and bake for aboutten minutes, until the eggs are set. Serve up in the baking-dish veryhot, with Bechamel sauce (see Sauces, page 29), or some brown gravy. TOMATO PUDDING Scald, peel, and slice eight tomatoes. Squeeze out three-quarters oftheir juice into a bowl through cheese-cloth, and put it to one side;then chop up the pulp of the tomatoes with two tablespoons of breadcrumbs, a little salt, sugar, and pepper, and a tablespoon of meltedbutter. Pour them in a buttered mold, place the mold in a doubleboiler, and put on the cover, and boil hard for one hour. Then turnout on a dish. Meanwhile take the juice of the tomatoes, season withsugar, salt, and pepper, mix in one tablespoon of butter rolled inflour. Boil one minute, then pour over the pudding and serve. STRING-BEANS "IN FRICASSEA" Cut off the ends and string some young string-beans. Cook them insalted water, then drain them well. Put them in a saucepan with somebutter, parsley, and chopped onion. Be careful to add occasionallysome broth if the beans dry up before they are completely cooked. Boilslowly, and a few moments before taking them off the fire add theyolks of one or two eggs (according to the quantity of beans) wellbeaten up with a little water, the juice of a lemon, and some gratedParmesan cheese. Stir from time to time, and never allow them to boil, or the eggs will set. To keep the beans a good color put a pinch ofsoda into the water with the salt. STRING-BEANS WITH TOMATOES Take some young string-beans, cut off the ends, and string them. Washthem in cold water, drain, and while still wet put them into abaking-dish with some good olive-oil, some chopped onion and parsley, salt, and pepper. Put the dish on the fire with its cover on, and cookslowly. As the beans dry add the juice of some tomatoes, or some goodtomato conserve. Take care they do not burn. FRIED BREAD WITH RAISINS Take some rather stale bread, cut it into slices, removing the crust. Fry the bread in lard, and then arrange it on a platter; meanwhileprepare the raisins as follows: Take a small saucepan and put into ittwo tablespoons of good raisins, a good slice of raw ham chopped intosmall pieces, and a leaf of sage, also chopped up, one tablespoon ofgranulated sugar, and two tablespoons of good vinegar. Put theseingredients on the fire, and as soon as you have a syrup (stirconstantly) pour the raisins onto the pieces of fried bread, and thesauce over and around them. Served with cold meat these are very nice. MEATS FRIED SWEETBREADS, CROQUETTES, LIVER, ETC. (_Fritto Misto alla Romana_) Golden Bread, Brains, Sweetbreads, Croquettes of Chicken and Veal andEggs, Calf's Liver and Pumpkin--all these different ingredients shouldbe fried each in its own manner as follows, a small quantity of each, and served all together on one platter with slices of lemon. GOLDEN BREAD Choose bread which is elastic, but has no holes in it. Remove thecrust and cut it in slices about one inch thick, and from these slicescut little pieces about three inches long and about one inch wide. Trim them off well, so they will not be ragged or uneven. Put thesepieces into a bowl and throw on them some boiling water, then removethem immediately and throw them into a big bowl of cold water. Thisoperation should be done quickly, so as to make the bread feel theimpression of heat and cold, one directly after the other. Then takethe bread between the hands and gently squeeze out the water withoutbreaking the pieces or deforming them. Place them on a napkin to dry. Then dip them in egg which has been beaten up and seasoned with saltand pepper. Allow the egg to soak well into the bread. Fifteen minutesbefore serving put a frying-pan on with a quantity of lard, and assoon as the lard is lukewarm put in the pieces of bread, turn them assoon as they harden a little on one side. The bread must fry veryslowly, and should remain on the fire at least ten minutes, so thatthe heat can penetrate gradually into the middle and make it light. This bread to be successful should be hollow inside like a fritterwhen finished. When the bread has taken a good golden color, removefrom the lard, drain it on a napkin, add a little salt, and serve veryhot. SWEETBREADS Parboil the sweetbreads, then cook them with one tablespoon of butterand one tablespoon of stock. When cooked cut them into smallishpieces, season with pepper, chopped-up parsley, and one tablespoon oflemon, then roll them in flour; dip into egg and fry. FRIED BRAINS Take one lamb's brain, or one-half of a calf's brain, put it in asaucepan with cold water, change the water from time to time for acouple of hours, until the brains are thoroughly cleansed. Then putthem in another saucepan with fresh water, and with several pieces ofonion, a little salt, a little vinegar (one tablespoon to each brain), and some parsley stems. As soon as the water boils, take the saucepanoff, remove the brains, and put them onto a napkin. Cut them into fourpieces, put these pieces onto a plate, and season with a littleolive-oil, some lemon juice, and chopped parsley. When you are readyto fry, roll in flour, dip in egg, and fry the brain over a moderatefire for seven or eight minutes in olive-oil, lard, or butter. CALF'S LIVER FRIED Remove the skin, and cut into slices large but thin, roll in flour, dip in egg, and fry in boiling lard, allowing them to remain in thefrying-pan only a couple of minutes; then drain on a napkin, sprinkleon a little salt, and serve. POLENTA CROQUETTES Boil one-half cup of corn-meal rather hard, and before removing fromthe fire add a piece of butter and a little grated cheese and mixwell. Take it then by spoonfuls and let it fall onto a marble-toptable, or a bread-pan which has been wet a little with cold water. These spoonfuls should form little balls about the size of a hen'segg. On each of these croquettes place a very thin slice of Gruyerecheese, so that the cheese will adhere to the corn-meal. Then allowthem to cool, and when cold dip into egg, then into bread crumbs, andfry in boiling lard. EGG CROQUETTES Hard boil two eggs, remove the shells, dry them, and cut the eggs inminute pieces. Put one tablespoon of butter into a saucepan, and whenit is melted add one and one-half tablespoons of flour; stirconstantly for a few moments over a slow fire with a wooden spoon, taking care that the flour does not color. Then pour in one-third of acup of milk, in which you have put salt and pepper. Cool this saucefor eight or ten minutes, stirring continually to make it smooth, thenremove from the fire, put in the chopped-up egg, some parsley choppedfine, and one-half tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese. When you havemixed these ingredients well together, spread them out on a plate ormarble and allow to cool. When this has become cold and hardened, witha wooden spoon divide it into little portions about the size of a nut. Take these and roll them in dried bread crumbs and a little flour. Roll them all then, one at a time, with a rotary motion, and thenelongate the balls until they are the shape of ordinary corks, thendip the croquettes into the egg, one at a time, then into bread crumbsagain, and a few moments before serving fry in boiling lard. As soonas they are colored remove them immediately from the lard, otherwisethey will break to pieces. Polenta Fritters, Fried Pumpkin, Fried Squash, and Parsnips may alsobe added or substituted if desired. LITTLE FILETS "ALLA NAPOLITANA" Butter well a frying-pan, and sprinkle over the bottom a piece of leanham (raw if possible) chopped up fine. Then a layer of mushroomschopped fine, then a layer of minced parsley. The bottom of the panshould be entirely covered with these three ingredients. Then from afilet of beef cut some little slices, about one-half an inch thick andround in shape. Put these in the frying-pan, one piece near the other, so the bottom shall be covered. Sprinkle on salt and pepper, and putit on the fire. When the filets are cooked on one side, turn them overon the other, but with care, so the ingredients at the bottom of thepan will stick to the meat. When the filets are cooked on both sides, squeeze on the juice of half a lemon, and add a little meat stock. Putthe filets on a platter, and pour over them their sauce, and servewith croutons (fried bread). INVOLTINI OF BEEF "ALLA SICILIANA" Take three-quarters of a pound of beef, two ounces of ham, onetablespoon of butter (or one-half tablespoon of lard), some bread, some parsley, and a piece of onion. Chop up the onion fine and put itin a saucepan with the butter (or lard). When it is colored, put inthe parsley and the ham cut up into little pieces, at the same timeadd the bread cut up into three or four small dice, salt, pepper, anda dash of nutmeg. Mix all together well. Cut the meat into six slices, pound them to flatten out; salt slightly, and when the otheringredients are cooked, put a portion on each slice of meat. Then rollup the meat like sausages, put them on skewers, alternating with apiece of fried bread of the same size. Butter well, roll in freshbread crumbs, and broil on the gridiron over a slow fire. These arenice served with salad. POLPETTONE "ALLA NAPOLITANA" Take three-quarters of a pound of lean beef without skin or bones fromthe rump-steak, flatten it out with a knife in a manner to widen itwithout tearing the meat. Salt and pepper it. Then take one andone-half ounces of ham, fat and lean, and chop it up fine with alittle piece of onion, some parsley, and some thyme, then add twiceits volume of fresh bread crumbs (which have been dipped in water andsqueezed out). When the bread has been well mixed add the yolk of oneegg and mix again well, spread this mixture all over the surface ofthe beef, leveling it off with a knife. Then sprinkle on a fewraisins, and then roll up the meat like a cigar, but bigger in themiddle than at the ends. Tie it up then, crosswise and lengthwise, andbrown it in a saucepan with a little lard and some ham. As soon as itcolors add some chopped-up pieces of onion, celery, carrot, and oneclove. When these vegetables are cooked add several pieces of tomato, and let the meat simmer for about two hours, basting it now andthen. When the meat is cooked remove the string, place the polpettoneon a platter, strain the sauce through a sieve, pour it over the meat, and serve. BOCCONCINI Cut up the meat, lamb, veal, mutton, or fresh pork into pieces abouttwo inches wide. Sprinkle on salt and pepper and put them aside. Thencut an equal number of pieces of bread about one-half inch thick, anda little bit bigger then the pieces of meat. Next cut pieces of ham, fat and lean, the same size as the pieces of meat, but double thenumber. Then take a skewer (or two if one is not sufficient), and puton it first a piece of bread, then a piece of ham, then a leaf ofsage, then one of the pieces of meat, then another leaf of sage, thenthe ham, then the bread, and so on in this order, having always themeat between two leaves of sage, two slices of ham, and two pieces ofbread. Coat everything well, and especially the bread, with olive-oilor melted butter, and then broil them over a hot fire for a goodone-quarter of an hour, turning them constantly until they are coloreda golden brown and are crisp. If preferred, these can be cooked in theoven. Put them on several wooden skewers, and lay them in a pan andcook until brown and crisp. Serve with lettuce salad. MEAT WITH RIBBON MACARONI Take a piece of ham fat, one finger high and four fingers wide, chopup fine with a piece of onion, piece of celery, piece of carrot, andput into a saucepan. Take three-quarters of a pound of meat, eitherlamb, veal, beef, or fresh pork, cut it into several pieces, salt andpepper it, and put a pinch of allspice, then put it into the saucepan;cook it until it is well colored, then add two tablespoons of red orwhite wine. When it is absorbed add one tablespoon of tomato paste, dissolved in water, or tomato sauce of fresh tomatoes (receipt TomatoSauce No. 1). Cook over a moderate fire, one hour longer if the meatis veal or lamb, and one and one-half hours to two hours for pork orbeef, adding water if necessary. This meat can be served with Ribbon Macaroni. Put the meat in themiddle, the macaroni around it, and the sauce over all, adding twotablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese to the macaroni after it isboiled, and mixing well before putting it on the platter. Sprinkle ona little more cheese before carrying to the table. This dish can be made equally well with left-over meats of any kind, turkey being especially good served this way. SALADS SALAD "DEL PREVOSTO" Boil in their skins three good-sized potatoes, peel them and slicethem, then put them into a salad bowl, and pour over them one-half aglass of white wine. Do this about two or three hours before they arewanted, so the potatoes will have time thoroughly to absorb the wine. From time to time mix them with a fork and spoon to let the winepermeate. A few minutes before the meal make a good French saladdressing, add some pickled peppers cut up, some capers, and somechopped-up parsley, pour on the French dressing, mix up well, andserve. THE CARDINAL'S SALAD Wash a good lettuce and a bunch of water-cress. Cut a cold boiled beefinto strips, add six radishes, two hard-boiled eggs chopped up, andone small sliced cucumber. Arrange the lettuce-leaves in a salad-bowl, mix the other ingredients with a sufficient quantity of mayonnaisesauce, put them in the midst of the lettuce, and serve. ENDIVE SALAD Take a head of endive, wash it and dry it well, and put it into asalad-bowl. Pour over it three tablespoons of good olive-oil. Mix onetablespoon of honey (or sugar), one of vinegar, and salt and pepper ina cup, and pour over the salad just before serving. ITALIAN SALAD Cut one carrot and one turnip into slices, and cook them in boilingsoup. When cold, mix them with two cold boiled potatoes and one beetcut into strips. Add a very little chopped leeks or onion, pour somesauce, "Lombarda" (see Sauces, page 31), over the salad, and garnishwith water-cress. "ALLA POLLASTRA" SALAD Chop up six lettuce-leaves and three stalks of celery, cut up theremains of a cold fowl in small pieces, and mix with one tablespoon ofvinegar and salt and pepper in a salad bowl. Pour a cup of mayonnaisesauce over, and garnish with quarters of hard-boiled egg, onetablespoon of capers, six stoned olives, and some small, tenderlettuce-leaves. "ALLA MACEDOINE" SALAD Cut into small pieces one cold boiled beet and half an onion. Add somecold boiled string-beans, some cold boiled asparagus tips, twotablespoons of cold cooked peas, one cold boiled carrot, and somecelery. Mix them together, and pour over all a mayonnaise sauce. Addthe juice of a lemon and serve. DESSERTS CHESTNUT FRITTERS Take twenty good chestnuts and roast them on a slow fire so that theywon't color. Remove the shells without breaking the nuts, and put theminto a saucepan with one level tablespoon of powdered sugar andone-half glass of milk and a little vanilla. Cover the saucepan andlet it cook slowly (simmer) for more than a half-hour. Then drain thechestnuts and pass them through a sieve. Put them back in a bowl withone-half a tablespoon of butter, the yolks of three eggs, and mix wellwithout cooking. Allow them to cool, and then take a small portion ata time, the size of a nut, roll them, dip them in egg, and in breadcrumbs, and fry in butter and lard, a few at a time. Serve hot withpowdered sugar. CHESTNUTS "ALLA LUCIFERO" Take forty good chestnuts and roast them over a slow fire. Do notallow them to become dried up or colored. Remove the shells carefully, put them in a bowl, and pour over them one-half a glass of rum and twoor three tablespoons of powdered sugar. Set fire to the rum and bastethe chestnuts constantly as long as the rum will burn, turning thechestnuts about so they will absorb the rum and become colored. PEACHES WITH WINE Take four very ripe peaches, cut them in two, take out the stones, peel them, and cut them in thin slices. Put them in a bowl and coverthem up until wanted. Put in a saucepan one glass of red wine, twotablespoons of powdered sugar, a piece of cinnamon, and a piece of arind of lemon. Boil these together, and then pour the liquid over thepeaches in the bowl while still boiling. Cover the bowl, and allow itto stand for at least two hours. Then turn into the dish in which youwill serve the peaches and the wine. HOT WINE Put into the saucepan one pint of red or white wine, the firstpreferred. Add two heaping tablespoons of sugar, a piece of rind oflemon or orange, and a small stick of cinnamon. Put it onto the fireand stir until the sugar is dissolved. When the wine boils, strain itthrough some cheese-cloth and pour it into glasses, and serve hot. MILK OF ALMOND ICE Take one half pound of almonds. Remove the shells and skins, and putthem into a large receptacle of cold water. Add three bitter almondsto the number. Remove them from the water, and pound them up in abowl, adding from time to time a little water. Then add more water andput them into a cheese-cloth and wring it, to extract all the juicesyou can. Then pound them some more, adding water, and squeeze out asbefore. To the milk you have extracted from the almonds add fourtablespoons of powdered sugar and one-half tablespoon of orange water;put into the freezer and freeze. If desired, you can put half the quantity of almonds and the otherhalf of cantaloup seeds, pound together, and proceed in the samemanner. This combination is refreshing and delicious.