BROTH OR SOUP STOCK

(Brodo)

To obtain good broth the meat must be put in cold water, and then
allowed to boil slowly. Add to the meat some pieces of bones and "soup
greens" as, for instance, celery, carrots and parsley. To give a brown
color to the broth, some sugar, first browned at the fire, then diluted
in cold water, may be added.

While it is not considered that the broth has much nutritive power, it
is excellent to promote the digestion. Nearly all the Italian soups are
made on a basis of broth.

A good recipe for substantial broth to be used for invalids is the
following: Cut some beef in thin slices and place them in a large
saucepan; add some salt. Pour cold water upon them, so that they are
entirely covered. Cover the saucepan so that it is hermetically closed
and place on the cover a receptacle containing water, which must be
constantly renewed. Keep on a low fire for six hours, then on a strong
[Pg 6]fire for ten minutes. Strain the liquid in cheese cloth.

The soup stock, besides being used for soups, is a necessary ingredient
in hundreds of Italian dishes.


SOUP OF "CAPPELLETTI"

This Soup is called of "Cappelletti" or "little hats" on account of the
shape of the "Cappelletti".

First a thin sheet of paste is made according to the following
directions:

The best and most tender paste is made simply of eggs, flour and salt,
water may be substituted for part of the eggs, for economy, or when a
less rich paste is needed. Allow about a cup of flour to an egg. Put the
flour on a bread board, make a hollow in the middle and break in the
egg. Use any extra whites that are on hand. Knead it thoroughly, adding
more flour if necessary, until you have a paste you can roll out. Roll
it as thin as an eighth of an inch. A long rolling pin is necessary, but
any stick, well scrubbed and sand papered, will serve in lieu of the
long Italian rolling pin.

Cut from this sheet of paste rounds measuring about three inches in
diameter. In the middle of each circle place a spoonful of filling that
must be made beforehand, composed of cooked meat (chicken, pork or veal)
ground very fine and seasoned with grated cheese, grated lemon peel,[Pg 7]
nutmeg, allspice, salt. The ground meat is to be mixed with an equal
amount of curds or cottage cheese.

When the filling is placed in the circle of paste, fold the latter over
and moisten the edge of the paste with the finger dipped in water to
make it stay securely closed.

These cappelletti should be cooked in chicken or beef broth until the
paste is tender, and served with this broth as a soup.


BREAD SOUP

(Panata)

This excellent and nutritious soup is a godsend for using the stale
bread that must never again be thrown away. It is composed of bread
crumbs and grated bread, eggs, grated cheese, nutmeg (in very small
quantity) and salt, all mixed together and put in broth previously
prepared, which must be warm at the moment of the immersion, but not at
the boiling point. Then place it on a low fire and stir gently. Any
vegetable left over may be added.


GNOCCHI

This is an excellent soup, but as it requires boiled or roast breast of
chicken or turkey it is[Pg 8] well to make it only when these ingredients are
handy.

Prepare a certain quantity of boiled potatoes, the mealy kind being
preferred. Mash the potatoes and mix them with chicken or turkey breast
well ground, grated cheese (Parmesan or Swiss), two or more yolks of
eggs, salt and a small quantity of nutmeg. Pour the compound on the
bread board with a quantity of flour sufficient to make a paste and roll
it in little sticks as thick as the small finger. Cut the sticks in
little pieces about half an inch long and put them in boiling water.
Five or six minutes' cooking will be sufficient.


VEGETABLE SOUP

(Zuppa Santé)

Any kind of vegetables may be used for this soup: carrots, celery,
cabbage, turnips, onions, potatoes, spinach, the outside leaves of
lettuce or greens of any variety.

Select three or four kind of vegetables, shred or chop coarsely cabbage
or greens, and slice or cut in cubes the root vegetables. Put them over
the fire with a small quantity of cooking oil or butter substitute, and
let them fry until they have absorbed the fat. Then add broth and cook
until the vegetables are very tender. Fry croutons of stale bread in oil
and serve them in the soup.[Pg 9]


QUEEN'S SOUP

(Zuppa Regina)

This is made with the white meat of chicken, which is to be ground in a
meat grinder together with blanched almonds (5 or 6) for one quart of
chicken stock. To the meat and almond add some bread crumbs, first
soaked in milk or broth, in the proportion of about one fifth of the
quantity of the meat. All these ingredients are to be rubbed to a very
smooth paste and hot broth is to be added to them. If you wish the soup
to be richer and have a more milky consistency, use the yolk of an egg,
which should be beaten, and have a few tablespoonfuls of hot broth
stirred into it before adding to the soup. Do not let the soup boil
after the egg is added or it will curdle.

One slice of stale bread may be cut into cubes, fried in deep fat, and
the croutons put in the soup. Send it to the table with a dish of grated
cheese.


BEAN SOUP

(Zuppa di fagiuoli)

One cup of dried beans, kidney, navy or lima is to be soaked over night.
Then boil until tender. It is preferable to put the beans to cook in
cold water with a pinch of soda. When they come to boil, pour off this
water and add fresh.[Pg 10]

Chop fine ¼ onion, one clove of garlic, one sprig of parsley and one
piece of celery and put them to fry in ¼ cup of oil with salt and a
generous amount of pepper. When the vegetables are a delicate brown add
to them two cups of the broth from the beans and 1 cup of tomatoes
(canned or fresh). Let all come to a boil and pour the mixture into the
kettle of beans from which some of the water has been drained, if they
are very liquid. This soup may be served as it is or rubbed through a
sieve before serving. Croutons or triangles of dry toast make an
excellent addition.

The bean soup is made without meat or chicken broth, and it belongs
consequently to that class of soup called by the Italians "Minestra di
Magro" or "lean soup," to be served preferably on Friday and other days
in which the Roman Catholic Church prohibits the use of meats.


LENTIL SOUP

(Zuppa di lenticchie)

The lentil soup is prepared in the same way as the bean soup, only
substituting lentils for beans. A good combination is that of lentils
and rice. The nutritive qualities of the lentils are not sufficiently
known in this country, but all books on dietetics speak very highly of
them.[Pg 11]


VEGETABLE CHOWDER

(Minestrone alla Milanese)

Cut off the rind of ½ lb. salt pork and put it into two quarts of
water to boil. Cut off a small slice of the pork and beat it to a paste
with two or three sprigs of parsley, a little celery and one kernel of
garlic. Add this paste to the pork and water. Slice two carrots, cut the
rib out of the leaves of ¼ medium sized cabbage. Add the carrots,
cabbage leaves, other vegetables, seasoning and butter to the soup, and
let it boil slowly for 2½ hours. The last ½ hour add one small
handful of rice for each person.

When the pork is very soft, remove and slice in little ribbons and put
it back.

The minestrone is equally good eaten cold.


RAVIOLI

Put on the bread board about two pounds of flour in a heap; make a
hollow in the middle and put in it a piece of butter, three egg-yolks,
salt and three or four tablespoonfuls of lukewarm water. Make a paste
and knead it well, then let it stand for an hour, wrapped or covered
with a linen cloth. Then spread the paste to a thin sheet, as thin as a
ten-cent piece.[Pg 12]

Chop and grind pieces of roast or boiled chicken meat: add to it an
equal part of marrow from the bones of beef and pieces of brains, three
yolks, some crumbs of bread soaked in milk or broth and some grated
cheese (Parmesan or Swiss). Rub through a sieve and make little balls as
big as a hazel-nut, which are to be placed at equal distances (a little
more than an inch) in a line over the sheet of paste.

Beat a whole egg and pass it over the paste with a brush all around the
little balls. Cover these with another sheet of paste, press down the
intervals between each ball, and then separate each section from the
other with a knife. Moisten the edges of each section with the finger
dipped in cold water, to make them stick together, and press them down
with the fingers or the prongs of a fork. Then put to boil in water
seasoned with salt or, better still, in broth. The ravioli are then to
be served hot seasoned with cheese and butter or with brown stock or
tomato sauce.


PAVESE SOUP

(Zuppa alla Pavese)

Cut as many thin slices of bread as are needed in order that each person
may have at least two of them. These slices are then to be toasted and
browned with butter. Poach two eggs for each[Pg 13] person, one on each slice
of bread and place the slices on a large and deep dish (not in a soup
tureen). Pour hot broth in the plate, taking care not to break the eggs,
season with Parmesan or Swiss cheese, and serve.

PASTE

SPAGHETTI, MACARONI ETC.

(Pasta Asciutta)

The Italians serve the spaghetti or macaroni at the beginning of the
meal, in place of soup, and they give it the name of Minestra Asciutta
or "dry" soup. Besides the familiar spaghetti, the paste is served in
many other forms and with different seasoning. This is by far the most
popular Italian dish, and it seems to have pleased the taste of all the
peoples of the earth. The highly nutritive qualities of spaghetti and of
cheese, their indispensable condiment, have been recognized by all diet
authorities and, as for its palatableness, the lovers of spaghetti are
just as enthusiastic and numerous outside of Italy as within the
boundaries of that blessed country. The most popular seasoning for
spaghetti, are tomato sauce, brown stock and anchovy sauce. The
description of these three condiments follows:[Pg 14]


TOMATO SAUCE

(Salsa di Pomidoro)

Chop together, fine, one quarter of an onion, a clove of garlic, a piece
of celery as long as your finger, a few bay leaves and just enough
parsley. Season with a little oil, salt and pepper, cut up seven or
eight tomatoes and put everything over the fire together. Stir it from
time to time and when you see the juice condensing into a thin custard
strain through a sieve, and it is ready for use.

When fresh tomatoes are not available the tomato paste may be used. This
is a concentrated paste made from tomatoes and spices which is to be
had, at all Italian grocers', now so numerous in all American cities.
Thinned with water, it is a much used ingredient in Italian recipes.
Catsup and concentrated tomato soup do not make satisfactory substitutes
as they are too sweet in flavor. Of course canned tomatoes seasoned with
salt and a bit of bay leaf, can always be used instead of fresh
tomatoes.

This sauce serves many purposes. It is good on boiled meat; excellent to
dress macaroni, spaghetti or other pastes which have been seasoned with
butter and cheese, or on boiled rice seasoned in the same way (see
Risotto). Mushrooms are a fine addition to it.[Pg 15]

When using concentrated paste the following recipes will be found to
give good results:

Chop one onion, one carrot and a celery stalk: form a little bunch of
parsley and other aromatic greens and put everything to brown in a
saucepan together with a piece of butter. Add a reasonable portion of
tomato paste while cooking, stir and keep on a low fire until the sauce
assumes the necessary consistency.


BROWN STOCK

(Sugo di Carne)

Cover the bottom of a saucepan with thin slices of beef taken from a
juicy cut and small pieces of salt pork. Place over a large onion, one
carrot, and a stalk of celery, all chopped in small pieces. Add some
butter and cover the whole with any trimmings from steaks or roasts and
any bit of left over cooked meat. Season with salt and cloves. Put over
the fire without stirring. When you smell the onions getting very brown,
turn the meat and when everything is quite brown add a cup of water,
renewing the latter three times. Finally add a certain quantity of
boiling water or, better still, of broth, and let it boil gently five or
six hours. Strain, cool and skim off the fat which will form a cake on
top of the liquid.[Pg 16]

The meat can be used afterward for meat balls or Croquettes. The stock
may be kept for some days and forms the basis for many dishes.


ANCHOVY SAUCE

(Salsa d'Acciughe)

This recipe does not call for the filets of anchovies prepared for hors
d'œuvre, but the less expensive and larger whole anchovies in salt to
be had in bulk or cans at large dealers. Wash them thoroughly in plenty
of water. Remove head, tail, backbone and skin and they are ready for
use.

Put five or six anchovies into a colander and dip quickly into boiling
water to loosen the skins, remove the salt, skin and bone them. Chop
them and put over the fire in a saucepan with a generous quantity of oil
and some pepper. Do not let them boil, but when they are hot add two
tablespoons of butter and three or four tablespoons of concentrated
tomato juice made by cooking down canned tomatoes and rubbing through a
sieve. When this sauce is used to season spaghetti, these must be boiled
in water that is only slightly salted and care must be taken not to let
them become too soft. The quantities above mentioned ought to be
sufficient for about one pound of spaghetti.[Pg 17]


SPAGHETTI OR MACARONI WITH BUTTER AND CHEESE

(Pasta al burro e formaggio)

This is the simplest form in which the spaghetti may be served, and it
is generally reserved for the thickest paste. The spaghetti are to be
boiled until tender in salted water, taking care to remove them when
tender, and not cooked until they lose form. They should not be put into
the water until this is at a boiling point.

Take as much macaroni as will half fill the dish in which it is to be
served. Break into pieces two and a half to three inches long if you so
desire. The Italians leave them unbroken, but their skill in turning
them around the fork and eating them is not the privilege of everybody.
Put the macaroni into salted boiling water, and boil twelve to fifteen
minutes, or until the macaroni is perfectly soft. Stir frequently to
prevent the macaroni from adhering to the bottom. Turn it into a
colander to drain; then put it into a pudding-dish with a generous
quantity of butter and grated cheese. If more cheese is liked, it can be
brought to the table so that the guests can help themselves to it.

The macaroni called "Mezzani" which is a name designating size, not
quality, is the preferable kind for macaroni dishes made with butter and
cheese.[Pg 18]


MACARONI WITH SAUCE

(Maccheroni al sugo)

The most appreciated kind of macaroni are those seasoned with tomato
sauce or with brown stock (see nos. 12 and 13). The macaroni are boiled
as above, then drained in a colander, returned to the saucepan and mixed
with the sauce and grated cheese. For those who like it some butter may
be added in the mixing.


MACARONI WITH ANCHOVY SAUCE

(Maccheroni con salsa d'acciughe)

After the paste is drained thoroughly it is to be put into the hot dish
in which it is to be served and the anchovy sauce poured over it and
well mixed with two silver forks until the sauce has gone all through
it. Some olive oil may be added, but grated cheese is not generally used
with the anchovy sauce.


MACARONI A LA CORINNA

(Maccheroni alla Corinna)

Put on the fire a pot with two quarts of salted water to which add a
small piece of butter. When it begins to boil put in it ¾ lb.
macaroni. Let[Pg 19] it boil for five minutes, then drain them in a colander.
Put them again in new boiling water, prepared as above and let them cook
on a slow fire. Drain them again. Cover the bottom of a plate with
macaroni and cover this first layer with grated cheese and with some
vegetables in macédoine, that is, chopped fine and fried brown with
butter. Repeat the draining, moisten the macaroni with the water in
which they have previously cooked and keep on a low fire for ten minutes
more.

The Macédoine of vegetables can be made with a dozen Bruxelles sprouts
or one cabbage, half a dozen big asparagus cut in little pieces, a
carrot cut in thin slices, a dozen small onions, some turnips and half a
dozen mushrooms. The mushrooms and the asparagus can be omitted. Melt
some butter in a saucepan and when the turnips, the carrots and the
onions are half cooked, add the cabbage or sprouts. Put in some water
and some more butter, boil for ten minutes and then add the mushrooms
and the asparagus, adding salt and pepper, and a little sugar if this is
desired.


MACARONI "AU GRATIN"

(Maccheroni al gratin)

Boil the macaroni in salted water until tender and drain them. Butter
slightly a fireproof casse[Pg 20]role and lay on the bottom some grated cheese
and grated bread. Alternate the layers of cheese with macaroni and on
the top layer of macaroni put more cheese and bread grated. Over the
whole pour some melted butter, cover the casserole, (or pyrex plate) and
put it in the oven with a low fire. Keep for ten minutes or more, until
the top appears browned.


MACARONI NAPOLITAINE

(Maccheroni alla Napoletana)

Grind ¼ lb. salt pork or bacon and fry it out in a saucepan. While it
is frying put one small onion through the grinder. As soon as the pork
begins to brown add the onion, the parsley chopped, a clove (or small
section) of garlic shredded fine, and a few dried mushrooms which have
been softened by soaking in warm water. When the vegetables are very
brown (great care must be taken not to burn the onion, which scorches
very easily) add ½ lb. round steak ground coarsely or cut up in little
cubes. When the meat is a good brown color, add some fresh or canned
tomatoes or half a tablespoonful of tomato paste and simmer slowly until
all has cooked down to a thick creamy sauce. It will probably take ¾
hour. The sauce may be bound together with a little flour if it shows a
tendency to separate.[Pg 21]

This sauce is used to dress all kinds of macaroni and spaghetti, also
for boiled rice (see Risotto). The macaroni or spaghetti should be left
unbroken when cooked. If they are too long to fit in the kettle immerse
one end in the boiling salted water and in a very few minutes the ends
of the spaghetti under the water will become softened so that the rest
can be pushed down into the kettle. Be careful not to overcook it, and
it will not be pasty, but firm and tender. Drain it carefully and put in
a hot soup tureen. Sprinkle a handful of grated cheese over it and pour
on the sauce. Lift with two forks until thoroughly mixed.


MACARONI FRIED WITH OIL

(Maccheroni all'olio)

After the macaroni have boiled drain them and put them in a saucepan in
which some good olive oil has already boiled, with a clove of garlic
chopped fine. Let the paste fry, taking care that it doesn't stick to
the bottom of the saucepan, and when it is well browned on one side,
turn it to have the other side browned. Serve the macaroni very hot. Add
no cheese.[Pg 22]


RISOTTO MILANAISE

(Risotto alla Milanese)

Melt a small piece of butter in a saucepan. Brown in the butter a medium
sized onion, cut in thin slices. When the onion is browned, take it away
from the saucepan and add little by little the rice, stirring it with a
wooden spoon. Every time that the rice becomes dry, add some hot broth
(or hot water) until the rice is completely cooked. Add salt and pepper
and a little saffron, if you like it.

When the rice is almost cooked, add to it some brown stock. Dress with
parmesan cheese and some butter. Mix well and serve hot. This dish must
not be allowed to be overcooked or cooled before eating.


RISOTTO WITH CHICKEN GIBLETS

(Risotto alla Milanese II)

The broth for this risotto may be made by cooking together the giblets,
neck and tips of wings of a chicken which is to be roasted, or it may be
made from the left-overs of roast fowl.

Boil the rice until it is about half done in salted water. Then let the
water cook away and begin adding the broth, in such quantity that the
rice will be nearly dry when it is tender. Fry one chop[Pg 23]ped onion in the
oil or fat. Some mushrooms cut up small are a very good addition to this
"Soffritto". Mince the chicken giblets and add to the onion. Stir the
mixture into the rice. Add grated cheese and a beaten egg just as the
rice is taken from the fire.


(Risotto con piselli)

Wash and dry 1½ lb. rice; chop fine one medium sized onion and put it
on the fire with a small quantity of butter.

When the onion is well browned, add the rice little by little, stirring
with a wooden spoon. Add some boiling water one cup at a time. Drain the
peas previously prepared (fresh or canned peas may be used) and add them
toward the end of the cooking. When the whole is almost cooked, add some
salt and take it away from the water almost dry. Add some butter, stir
and serve hot.


RISOTTO WITH LOBSTER

(Risotto coi gamberi)

For this risotto either lobster or crab meat can be used: the former is,
however, considered more tasty. The lobster or crab meat ought to be
about half the weight of the rice employed. A little more than a pound
of rice and half this weight[Pg 24] of crab meat ought to be enough for six
persons.

Chop fine a sprig of parsley, a stalk of celery, one carrot, half an
onion a clove of garlic and brown the whole in good olive oil. When
browned, add the crab meat and season with salt and pepper. During the
cooking process stir and turn over the crabs, and when they have become
red, pour over as much hot water as is necessary to cook the rice.

After the water boils for a while, remove the lobster (or crab, or
craw-fish) leaving the saucepan on the fire. Put half of the crabs
aside, and grind the rest. Rub the ground meat through the sieve and put
it back on the fire. In another saucepan melt some butter and put into
it little by little the rice that has been washed and dried. Stir and
add the broth from the first saucepan. When the rice is almost cooked
add the craw-fish that you have put aside, or rather its meat extracted
from the shells, take from the fire and pour over it the fish mixture,
adding some grated cheese.


RICE WITH SAFFRON

(Riso alla Milanese con Zafferano)

Wash and dry the rice and put it in boiling broth (beef or chicken
broth). When the rice is half cooked add half its weight of marrow of
beef bone, cut into small pieces. A few minutes[Pg 25] are sufficient for the
cooking of the marrow. Add grated cheese and remove the kettle from the
fire.

Dissolve some saffron in one or two tablespoonfuls of broth; sift it
through a sieve and mix with rice, which is to be served very hot, and
makes an excellent soup.


RICE CAKES

(Frittelle di riso)

Cook the rice in milk, adding a small quantity of butter, some salt,
half a teaspoon of sugar and just a taste of lemon peel. Let the rice
cool down after being thoroughly cooked, then add three yolks of eggs
(for ¼ lb. of rice) and some flour. Mix well and let the whole rest
for several hours. When about to fry, beat the white of the eggs to a
froth, add to the rice mixing slowly, and put into the saucepan with a
ladle.


FRIED ARTICHOKE

(Carciofi fritti)

Take two artichokes, cut out the hard part of the leaves and of the
stalk, cut them in two. Then cut these halves into section or slices so
as to have eight or ten for each artichoke, according to size. As you
cut them, throw them into[Pg 26] cold water and when they are well washed, dry
them, but not thoroughly, putting them at once into the flour so that
the latter remains attached to it. Beat the white of an egg, but not to
a froth, then mix the yolk with the white and salt the whole. Shake out
the artichokes to take away the superfluous flour and then put them in
the egg, leaving them for a while so that the egg may be attached to
them.

Throw the pieces one by one into the pan where there is boiling fat,
butter or olive oil, and when they are well browned, take them away and
serve with lemon. If it is desired that the artichokes remain white, it
is better to fry them in oil and to squeeze half lemon into the water
where the artichokes are put to soften.


STEAMED ARTICHOKES

(Carciofi a vapore)

Artichokes have been only recently imported to the United States,
principally by Italian farmers, and they are just beginning to find
their way into the American kitchen. The artichokes may be eaten raw or
cooked. It is a healthy and palatable vegetable, easily digested when
cooked. It is nutritious and adapted for convalescents. It may be
prepared in a thousand ways, and here follow some of the simplest and
most tasteful.

To prepare the steamed artichokes they must[Pg 27] first be cleaned and the
stalk cut to less than half an inch. Put them in a saucepan, standing on
their bottoms, one near the other, in half an inch or more of water. In
an opening made in the middle put salt and pepper, and pour inside as
much good olive oil as they may contain. Cover well the saucepan and put
it on the fire. The artichokes, that are already seasoned, will be
cooked by the steam.


STEWED ARTICHOKES

(Carciofi in stufato)

Wash the artichokes and cut the hard part of the leaves (the top). Widen
the leaves and insert a hash composed of bread crumbs, parsley, salt,
pepper and oil. Place the artichokes in the saucepan standing on their
stalk, one touching the other. Cover them with water and let them cook
for two hours or more. When the leaves are easily detached they are
cooked.


ARTICHOKES WITH BUTTER

(Carciofi al burro)

Wash, dry and cut out the top of the leaves of as many artichokes as are
needed. Cut them in two or four and boil them in salt water. When[Pg 28]
tender, drain them, have them slightly browned in melted butter and
season with salt and pepper.

When served in a vegetable dish or placed in a pyramid on a round plate,
sprinkle with grated cheese.


FRIED SQUASH

(Zucchine fritte)

The squashes used by Italians for frying and other purposes are very
small, and for this reason they are called "Zucchine" or small squashes.
They can be bought at those shops kept by Italian vegetable dealers that
are now to be found in large number in most American cities and,
invariably, in Italian neighborhoods during the summer season. The
"Zucchine" are an extremely tasty vegetable and they are especially good
when fried.

Select the squashes that are long and thin: wash them cut them in little
strips less than half an inch thick. Take away the softer part of the
interior and salt moderately. Leave them aside for an hour or two, then
drain them but don't dry them. Put them in flour and rub gently in a
sieve to take away the superfluous flour: immediately after put them in
a saucepan where there is already oil, fat or butter boiling. At the
beginning don't touch them to avoid breaking,[Pg 29] and only when they have
become a little hardened stir them and remove when they begin to be
browned.


LAMB OMELET

(Agnello in frittata)

Cut in little pieces a loin of lamb, which is the part that lends itself
best for this dish, and fry in lard: a little quantity of lard is
sufficient, because the meat of the loins is rather fat. When half
cooked season with salt and pepper and when fully cooked pour over four
or five whole eggs slightly beaten also seasoned moderately with salt
and pepper. Mix, taking care that the eggs do not harden.


FRIED CHICKEN

(Pollo fritto)

Wash a spring chicken and keep in boiling water for one minute. Cut into
pieces at the joints, roll them in flour, season with salt and pepper
and dip in two whole beaten eggs. After leaving the pieces of chicken
for half an hour, roll them in bread crumbs, repeating the operation
twice if necessary. Put into a saucepan with boiling oil or fat, seeing
that the pieces of chicken are well browned on both sides. Keep the fire
low. Serve hot with lemon.[Pg 30]


CHICKEN ALLA CACCIATORA

(Pollo alla cacciatora)

Chop one large onion and keep it for more than half an hour in cold
water, then dry it and brown it aside. Cut up a chicken, sprinkle the
pieces with flour, salt and pepper and sauté, in the fat which remains
in the frying pan. When the chicken is brown add one pint fresh or
canned tomatoes and half a dozen sweet green peppers and put back the
onion. When the gravy is thick enough add hot water to prevent the
burning of the vegetables. Cover the pan tightly and simmer until the
chicken is very tender. This is an excellent way to cook tough chickens.
Fowls which have been boiled may be cooked in this way, but of course
young and tender chickens will have the finer flavor.


CORN MEAL WITH SAUSAGES

(Polenta con salsicce)

Cook in water one cup of yellow cornmeal making a stiff mush. Salt it
well and when it is cooked spread out to cool on a bread board about
half an inch thick. Then cut the mush into small squares.[Pg 31]

Put in a saucepan several whole sausages with a little water, and when
they are cooked skin and crush them and add some brown stock or tomato
sauce.

Put the polenta (or cornmeal mush) in a fireproof receptacle, season
with grated cheese, the crushed sausages and a piece of butter. Put it
in the oven and serve when hot.


POLENTA PIE

(Polenta Pasticciata)

Make a very stiff mush of cornmeal cooked in milk. Salt it well and
spread out on the bread board in a sheet about one inch thick. When
cold, cut in little diamonds or squares and place these in a buttered
baking dish. Prepare the Bolognese sauce according to the following
recipe: Chop ¼ lb. round steak, a slice of pork or bacon, one small
carrot ¼ onion, one large piece celery. Put the meat and vegetables
over the fire with a piece of butter. When the meat has browned add half
a tablespoon of flour and wet the mixture with hot water or broth,
allowing it to simmer from half an hour to an hour. It is done when it
is the consistency of a thick gravy.

Make a smooth white sauce with milk cornstarch and butter. Over a layer
of the polenta, cut as above and placed in the baking dish sprin[Pg 32]kle
some grated cheese and a few tablespoons each of the white sauce and the
meat sauce. Repeat until the dish is full. Bake until the top is nicely
browned. This dish seems very elaborate, but it is very delicious and a
meal in itself.

The Bolognese sauce is also used to season macaroni or spaghetti in lieu
of the tomato sauce or the brown stock.


STUFFED ROLLS

(Pagnottelle ripiene)

Take some rolls, and by means of a round opening on the top, as large as
a half dollar piece or less, extract nearly all the crumb, leaving the
crust intact, but not too thin. Wet inside and outside with hot milk,
and when they are fairly soaked, dip in beaten eggs and fry them in lard
or oil. When beginning to brown, fill them with meat that has been
previously chopped and cooked. This chopped meat ought to be made with
breast of chicken, chicken giblets, liver etc., brown stock and some
flour to hold it together.


STEWED VEAL

(Stracotto di vitella)

The stock from this dish may very well be used to season macaroni or
boiled rice. Care[Pg 33] must be taken, however, not to draw away all the
juice of the meat in order to have a sauce too rich at the expense of
the principal dish.

Place in a saucepan one pound of veal or more, bone included, a piece of
butter or some olive oil (or the two together) half a medium sized
onion, one small carrot, two celery stalks cut in small pieces. Season
with salt and pepper. Put it on a low fire, turn the meat over often and
when browned add a pinch of flour and some tomato paste, bringing it to
full cooking with water poured little by little. The flour is used to
keep the sauce together and give it color, but care must be taken not to
burn it, because in that case the sauce would have an unpleasant taste
and a black, instead of a reddish color. The addition of dried
mushrooms, previously softened in the water and slightly boiled in the
sauce will add greatly to its taste.

As has been said the sauce can well be used to season spaghetti or
risotto. The stewed veal can be served with some vegetable.


CHICKEN BONED AND STUFFED

(Pollo dissossato ripieno)

To remove the bones from a chicken the following instructions will be
found useful.

Wash and singe the fowl: take off the head[Pg 34] and legs, and remove the
tendons. When a fowl is to be boned it is not drawn. The work of boning
is not difficult, but it requires practice. The skin must not be broken.
Use a small pointed knife cut the skin down the full length of the back;
then, beginning at the neck, carefully scrape the meat away from the
bone, keeping the knife close to the bone. When the joints of the wings
and legs are met, break them back and proceed to free the meat from the
carcass. When one side is free, turn the fowl and do the same on the
other side. The skin is drawn tightly over the breast-bone, and care
must be used to detach it without piercing the skin. When the meat is
free from the carcass, remove the bones from the legs and wings, turning
the meat down or inside out, as the bones are exposed, and using care
not to break the skin at the joints. The end bones of the wing cannot be
removed, and the whole end joint may be cut off or left as it is.

Now that the fowl is boned make the following stuffing, regulating the
quantity on the size of the chicken. Chop half a pound or more, of lean
veal, and grind it afterwards, so that it may make a paste. Add a large
piece of bread crumb soaked in broth, a tablespoon of grated cheese,
three yolks of egg, salt, pepper and, if desired, just a taste of
nutmeg. Finally mix also one or two slices of ham and tongue, cut in
small pieces. Stuff the boned chicken with this filling, sew up[Pg 35] the
opening, wrap it tightly in a cloth and put to cook in water on a low
fire. When taken from the water, remove the wrapping and brown it, first
with butter, then in a sauce made in the following way: Break all the
bones that have been extracted from the chicken, the head and neck
included, and put them on the fire with dried meat cut in little pieces,
butter, onion, celery and carrot, seasoned with salt and pepper. Make
the sauce with the water in which the chicken has been boiled, which has
naturally become a good chicken broth.

Before sending to the table, remove the thread with which the chicken
has been sewed.


CHICKEN WITH TOMATOES

(Pollo alla contadina)

Take a young chicken and make some little holes in the skin in which you
will put some sprigs of rosemary and a clove of garlic cut into five or
six pieces. Put it on the fire with chopped lard and season with salt
and pepper inside and outside. When it is well browned on all parts add
tomatoes cut in pieces, taking care to remove previously all the seeds.
Moisten with broth or water. Brown some potatoes in oil, fat or butter,
previously cutting them into sections. When browned dip in the sauce of
the chicken and serve the whole together.[Pg 36]


CHICKEN WITH SHERRY

(Pollo al marsala)

Cut the chicken in big pieces and put it in the saucepan with one medium
sized onion chopped fine and a piece of butter. Season with salt and
pepper and, when it is well browned, add some broth and complete the
cooking. Remove the excessive fat from the sauce by sifting through a
sieve or otherwise, and put the chicken back on the fire with a glass of
Sherry or Marsala wine, removing it from the fire as soon as the sauce
begins to boil.


CHICKEN WITH SAUSAGES

(Pollo colle salsicce)

Chop fine half an onion and put it in a saucepan with a piece of butter
and four or five slices of ham, half an inch wide. Over these
ingredients place a whole chicken, season with pepper and a little salt
and place on the fire. Brown it on all sides and, when the onion is all
melted, add water or broth and three or four sausages freshly made. Let
it cook on a low fire, seeing that the sauce remains liquid and does not
dry up.[Pg 37]


CHICKEN WITH EGG SAUCE

(Pollo in salsa d'uova)

Break into pieces a young chicken and put it in the saucepan with a
piece of butter. Season with salt and pepper. When it is half browned
sprinkle with a pinch of flour to give it color, then complete the
cooking with broth. Remove it from the same and put it on a plate. Beat
the yolk of one egg with the piece of half a lemon and pour it on the
sauce of the chicken, allowing it to simmer for some minutes. Then pour
on the chicken and serve hot.


CHICKEN BREASTS SAUTÉS

(Petti di pollo alla sauté)

Cut the breast of a fowl in very thin slices, give them the best
possible shape and make a whole piece from the little pieces that will
remain, cleaning well the breast-bone, crushing and mixing these. Season
with salt and pepper and dip the slices in beaten eggs, leaving them for
a few hours. Sprinkle with bread crumbs ground fine and sauté in butter.
Serve with lemon.

If you want this dish more elaborate prepare a sauce in the following
way: Put some good olive oil in a frying pan, just enough to cover the
bottom, and cover the oil with a layer of dry[Pg 38] mushrooms. Sprinkle over
a small quantity of grated cheese and some bread crumbs. Repeat the same
operation three or four times, according to the quantity, and finally
season with olive oil, salt and pepper and small pieces of butter. Put
the pan over the fire and when it has begun to boil pour a small cup of
brown stock or broth and a little lemon juice. Remove the same from the
fire and pour it on the chicken breast that have been browned as
described above.


WILD DUCK

(Anitra selvatica)

Clean the duck, putting aside the giblets, and cut off the head and
legs. Chop fine a thick slice of ham with both lean and fat together,
with a moderate amount of celery, parsley, carrot and half medium sized
onion. Put the chopped ham and vegetables in a saucepan and lay the duck
on the whole, seasoning with salt and pepper. Brown on all sides and add
water to complete the cooking.

Cabbage or lentils, cooked in water and afterward allowed to complete
the cooking in the sauce obtained from the duck, form a good addition.

To remove the "gamey" taste from the wild duck, either wash it in
vinegar before cooking or scald it in boiling water.[Pg 39]


STEWED SQUABS

(Piccioni in umido)

Garnish the squabs with whole sage leaves and place them in a saucepan
over a bed of small slices of ham containing both lean and fat, season
with salt, pepper and olive oil. Place on the fire and when they begin
to be browned, add a piece of butter and complete the cooking by pouring
in some good broth. Before removing from the fire squeeze one lemon over
them and garnish with squares or diamonds of toasted bread. Take care
not to add too much salt on account of the ham and the broth both
containing salt.

Note—Many of these dishes, it will be noticed, are made with broth.
When meat broth is not available, it can be prepared with bouillon cubes
or with Liebig or Armour Extracts. It is, however, always preferable to
use broth made with fresh meat.


RAGOUT OF SQUABS

(Manicaretto di piccione)

Cut two or more squabs at the joints, preferably in four parts each, and
put them on the fire with a slice of ham, a piece of butter, and a bunch
of parsley. When they begin to dry, add some broth and—before they are
completely[Pg 40] cooked—their giblets and fresh mushrooms cut in slices.
Continue pouring in broth and allow the whole to simmer on a low fire.
Add another piece of butter over which some flour has been sprinkled, or
flour alone. Before serving, remove the ham and the bunch of greens and
squeeze some lemon juice over the squabs.

Some sweetbread may be added with good effect, but it must be first
scalded and the skin removed.


SQUAB TIMBALE

(Timballo di piccioni)

Chop together some ham, onion, celery and carrot, add a piece of butter
and place on the fire with one or two squabs, according to the number of
guests. Add the giblets from the squabs and some more of chicken, if at
hand. Season with salt and pepper, and when the pigeons are browned,
pour over some broth to complete the cooking, taking care, however, that
the sauce does not become too liquid. Remove the latter and place in it
some macaroni that has been half cooked and drained. Keep the macaroni
in the sauce on the fire, stirring them. Make a well reduced Béchamel
sauce, then cut the squabs at the joints, removing the neck, the legs
and the bones of the back, when you would not bone[Pg 41] them entirely, which
would be better. Cut the giblets in small pieces and remove the soft
part of the onion.

When the macaroni have absorbed the sauce, season them with grated
cheese, pieces of butter, diamonds or squares of ham, a taste of nutmeg
and some truffles or dry mushrooms previously softened in water. Add
finally the Béchamel sauce and mix the whole.

Take a sufficiently large mold, butter it and line it with soft pastry.
Put everything in the mold, or timbale, cover it with the same pastry
and put in the oven. Take out of the mold and serve hot. Three quarters
of a pound of macaroni and two pigeons are enough for ten persons.


SALMI OF GAME

(Uccelli in salmi)

Roast the game completely, seasoning with salt and pepper. If the game
be small birds, leave them whole, if big cut them in four parts. Remove
all the heads and grind them together with some pieces of birds, or some
whole little birds. Put in a saucepan one tablespoonful of butter one
half pound of bacon or ham cut into dice, brown stock or broth, one
tablespoonful each of chopped onion and carrot, one tablespoonful each
of salt, thyme and sage.[Pg 42] Allow the sauce to simmer for half an hour
then rub it through a sieve and place in it the roasted game. Make it
boil until the cooking is completed and serve with toasted diamonds of
bread.


STEWED HARE

(Stufato di lepre)

Take half of a good sized hare and, after cutting it in pieces, chop
fine one medium sized onion, one clove of garlic, a stalk of celery and
several leaves of rosemary. Put on the fire with some pieces of butter,
two tablespoonfuls of olive oil and four or five strips of bacon or salt
pork, when the whole has been browning for four or five minutes, put the
pieces of hare inside the saucepan and season them with salt, pepper and
spices. When it is browned, put a wineglass of white wine, some fresh
mushrooms, or dry mushrooms previously softened in water. Complete the
cooking with broth and tomato sauce and, if necessary, add another piece
of butter.


STEWED RABBIT

(Coniglio in umido)

After washing the rabbit, cut it in rather large pieces and put it on
the fire to drive away the water that is to be drained. When quite dry,
put[Pg 43] in the saucepan a piece of butter, a little oil, and a hash
composed of the liver of the rabbit itself, a small piece of corned beef
and some onion, celery, carrot and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir often and when it is browned add some tomato sauce and another
piece of butter.


GREEN SAUCE

(Salsa verde)

Chop all together some capers that have been in vinegar, one anchovy, a
small slice of onion and just a taste of garlic. Crush the resulting
hash with the blade of a knife to make it very fine. Add a sprig of
parsley, chopped together with some leaves of basil and dissolve the
whole in very good olive oil and lemon juice.

This sauce is excellent to season boiled chicken or cold boiled fish or
hard boiled eggs.

Green Peppers can take the place of capers, if these are not at hand.


WHITE SAUCE

(Salsa bianca)

This sauce can be served with boiled asparagus or with cauliflower. The
ingredients are ¼ lb. of butter, a tablespoonful of flour, a
tablespoon[Pg 44]ful vinegar, one yolk of egg, salt and pepper, broth or water
in sufficient quantity.

Put first on the fire the flour with half the butter and when it begins
to be browned pour over it the broth or the water little by little,
stirring with the wooden spoon and adding the rest of the butter and the
vinegar without making the water boil too much. When taken off the fire
add the yolk of the egg, stir and serve.


YELLOW SAUCE

(Salsa gialla)

This sauce is especially good for boiled fish, and the quantities
indicated below are sufficient for a piece of fish or a whole fish
weighing about a pound.

Put on the fire in a little saucepan one teaspoonful of flour and two
ounces of butter, and when the flour begins to be browned, pour over it
little by little one cup of the broth of the fish, that is to say of the
water in which the fish has been boiled. When you see that the flour
does not rise in the boiling water, take away the sauce from the flour
and pour over two tablespoonfuls of olive oil and the yolk of an egg,
stirring and mixing everything well. Squeeze in the sauce half a lemon
and season generously with salt and pepper. Let it cool and then pour
over the fish that is to be served with a sprig of parsley.[Pg 45]

This sauce must have the appearance of a cream and must not be too
liquid, in order that it may remain attached to the fish.


SAUCE FOR BROILED FISH

(Salsa per pesce in gratella)

This sauce is composed of yolks of eggs, salted anchovies, olive oil and
lemon juice. Boil the eggs in their shell for ten minutes and for every
hard yolk take one large anchovy or two small. Bone the anchovies and
rub them on the sieve together with the hard (or semi-hard) yolks, and
dissolve all with oil and lemon juice to reduce it like a cream. Cover
with this sauce the broiled fish before sending to the table, or serve
aside in a gravy boat.


CAPER SAUCE

(Salsa con capperi)

This sauce is especially adapted for boiled fish and the quantities are
for a little more than one pound of fish. The ingredients are two ounces
of butter, two ounces of capers soaked in vinegar one teaspoonful of
flour, salt, pepper and vinegar.

Boil the fish and, when it is left warm in its broth, prepare the sauce.
Put on the fire the flour[Pg 46] with half of the butter, mix it and when it
begins to take color, add the remaining butter.

Let boil a little and then pour one half cup of the broth of the fish:
season generously with salt and pepper and take the saucepan from the
fire. Then throw in it the capers, half whole, half chopped, and some
drops of vinegar, but taste it to dose the sauce so that it is pleasant
to the taste and as thick as liquid cream.

It is well to observe here that these sauces in which butter is used
together with acids, such as vinegar, are not for weak stomachs and
should be partaken of sparingly.


GENOVESE SAUCE

(Salsa genovese)

Chop fine a sprig of parsley and half a clove of garlic. Then mix with
some capers soaked in vinegar, one anchovy, one hard yolk of egg, three
pitless olives, a crumb of bread as big as an egg, soaked in vinegar.
Grind all these ingredients, rub through a sieve and dissolve in olive
oil, dosing right by tasting.


BALSAMELLA SAUCE

(Salsa balsamella)

This sauce resembles the famous French Béchamel Sauce, but it is simpler
in its composition.[Pg 47]

Put in a saucepan one tablespoonful of flour and a piece of butter as
big as an egg. Stir the flour and the butter together while keeping them
over the fire. When the flour begins to be browned, pour over a pint of
milk, continually stirring with a wooden spoon until you see the liquid
condensed like a cream. This is the Balsamella. If it is too thick add
some milk, if too liquid put back on the fire with another piece of
butter dipped in flour.

A good Balsamella and some well prepared brown stock are the base and
the principal secret of many savory dishes.


CURLED OMELET

(Frittata in riccioli)

Boil a bunch of spinach and rub it through a sieve. Beat two eggs,
season with salt and pepper and mix with them enough spinach to make the
eggs appear green. Put the frying pan on the fire with only enough oil
to grease it and when very hot put in a portion of the eggs, moving the
frying pan so as to make a very thin omelet. When well cooked, remove it
from the frying pan and repeat the operation once or twice in order to
have two or three very thin omelets. Put these one over the other and
cut them in small strips that are to be browned in butter[Pg 48] adding a
little grated cheese. These strips of omelet, resembling noodles, form a
tasty and attractive dressing for a fricandeau (veal stew) or a similar
dish.


VEAL KIDNEY OMELET

(Frittata di rognone di vitella)

Take a veal kidney, open it lengthwise and leave all its fat. Season
with oil, salt and pepper, broil it and cut in thin slices. Beat enough
eggs in proportion to the size of the kidney, season them with salt and
pepper, both in moderate quantity and mix with them a sprig of parsley
and some grated cheese. Put the sliced kidney in the eggs, mix all
together and make an omelet with some butter.


PUFF PASTE

(Pasta sfoglia)

The Pasta sfoglia is not too difficult to make and if the following
instructions are carefully followed, this fine and light paste can
easily be prepared. It is well to have a marble slab to roll it on but
this is not absolutely necessary. A warm, damp day is not favorable for
the making of the Pasta sfoglia, which succeeds better when the weather
is cold and dry.[Pg 49]

Mix half a pound of flour of the very best quality with a piece of
butter as big as a walnut, some warm, but not hot water, enough salt and
a teaspoonful of good brandy. When the paste is formed knead it well for
about half an hour, first with the hands, then throwing it repeatedly
with force against the bread board. Make a cake of a rectangular form,
wrap it in cloth and let it rest for a while. Meanwhile work with the
hand ½ lb. of butter that has been kept previously on ice or, better,
in a bowl of ice-water, until it becomes smooth and flexible, then make
of it a little cake like that of the paste and throw it in a bowl of
cold water. When the dough has rested take the butter from the water,
wipe it with a cloth and dip it in flour.

Roll the paste only as long as it is necessary to enclose within the
cake of butter. This is placed in the middle and the edges of the sheet
of paste are drawn over it, closing well with fingers moistened in a
little water so that no air remains inside. Then begin to flatten, first
with the hands, then with the rolling pin, making the sheet as thin as
possible, but taking care that the butter does not come out. If this
happens throw at once a little flour where the butter appears and always
have the marble slab (or bread board) and the rolling pin sprinkled with
flour. Fold it over, making three even layers of paste, and again roll
the folded strip, repeating the operation[Pg 50] six times and letting the
paste rest from time to time for a few minutes. At the last time, fold
it in two and reduce it to the necessary thickness that is, about one
third of an inch. After each folding press the edges gently with the
rolling pin to shut in the air, and turn the paste so as to roll in a
different direction.

When the paste has had six turns cut it into the desired forms and put
on ice, or in a cold place for twenty to thirty minutes before putting
it on the oven, which must be very hot, with the greatest heat at the
bottom.

The puff paste is used for paté shells and vol-au-vent cake and for
light pastries of all kinds.


PASTE FOR FRYING

(Pastella per fritto)

Dilute three teaspoonfuls of flour with two teaspoonfuls of oil. Add two
eggs, a pinch of salt, and mix well. This mixture will take on the
aspect of a smooth cream and is used to glaze fried brains, sweetbreads
and the like. All these things are first to be scalded in boiling salt
water. Add a pinch of salt and one of pepper when taking from the water.
The brains, sweetbreads etc. are then to be cut in irregular pieces,
thrown into the paste, or cream, described above and fried in oil or
good lard.[Pg 51]

In frying these are often united to liver or veal cutlets. The liver
must be cut in very thin slices and the cutlets beaten with the side of
a big knife and given a good shape. Season with salt and pepper, dip in
beaten egg and after a few hours sprinkle with bread crumbs and fry.
Serve with lemon.


CHICKEN STUFFING

(Ripieno di pollo)

The ingredients are ¼ lb. lean veal or pork or breast of turkey and
chicken giblets. Cook this meat together with a little hash of onion,
parsley, celery, carrot and butter. Season with salt pepper and spices,
moistening it with broth. Take dry from the fire, take off the soft
parts of the giblets, add a few dry mushrooms softened in water, a
little slice of lean fat ham and chop everything fine. Into the sauce
that has remained from the cooking throw enough breadcrumbs to make a
tablespoonful of hard soaked bread. Mix it with the chopped hash, add a
pinch of grated cheese and two eggs and fill the chicken with all this,
sewing up the opening afterwards. The chicken can be boiled or stewed.
If boiled you will have an excellent bouillon, but pay attention when
cutting the chicken to extract the stuffing in one piece in order to
slice it.[Pg 52]


MEAT STUFFING FOR VOL-AU-VENT

(Ripieno di carne per pasticcini di pasta sfoglia)

This stuffing can be made either with stewed veal or chicken giblets or
sweetbreads. The latter are preferable, being more delicate and a taste
of truffles greatly improves the stuffing. If sweetbreads are used, put
them on the fire with a piece of butter and season with salt and pepper.
When they have begun to take color, complete the cooking with some brown
stock, then cut them in pieces as little as a bean. Add one or two
spoons of Balsamella (see No. 54) a little tongue, one or two slices of
ham cut in little squares, a pinch of grated cheese and a taste of
nutmeg, seeing that the ingredients are in such quantities as to make
the mixture tasty and delicate. Leave it cool well, as in this way it
hardens and can be worked better.

In order to enclose it in paté shells made with puff-paste (see No. 57)
there are two ways. One is to cook the shells filled with the stuffing,
the other to fill them after they are cooked. In the first case put the
stuffing in the prepared disk of paste, moisten the edge with a wet
finger, cover with another disk of paste and cook. In the second case,
which is more convenient because the shells can be prepared one day
before, the two[Pg 53] disks are put together without the stuffing, but in the
upper disk a circular cut must be made as large as a half dollar coin.
The paté on cooking swells and leaves an empty space in the interior.
Lifting with the point of a knife the little circle above, which has the
form of a cover, the interior space can be made larger, filled with the
stuffing and covered with the little cover. In this way it is enough to
warm them before sending to the table. The puff-paste must always be
glazed with the yolk of eggs.

If a large vol-au-vent is to be filled instead of little paté-shells, a
ragout of chicken giblets and sweetbread, cut in large pieces, is
better.


PORK LIVER FRIED

(Fegato di maiale fritto)

Cut in to thin slices some pork liver, sprinkle with flour and fry in
good lard. It must be served with its sauce. Squeeze in a lemon while it
is frying.


FRIED CROQUETTES, BOLOGNA STYLE

(Fritto composto alla Bolognese)

Take a piece of stewed lean veal, a little brain boiled or stewed, and a
slice of ham. Chop and grind everything fine. Add a yolk of egg or a[Pg 54]
whole egg, according to the quantity, and a little Balsamella (see No.
54). Put the hash on the fire and stir until the egg is cooked. Add
finally grated cheese, a taste of nutmeg, and, if you have them, some
truffles chopped very fine and put in a plate. When quite cold make some
little balls as large as a walnut and roll them in flour. Then dip in
beaten egg and bread crumb ground very fine, repeating the operation
twice, and fry.


ROMAN FRY

(Fritto alla Romana)

I.

Put on the fire a hash of onion and butter and when it is well browned
cook in it a piece of lean veal seasoned with salt and pepper. When the
meat begins to brown put in a little sherry wine to complete the
cooking.

Pound the whole to soften it a little using the sauce remained and if
this is not enough add some broth and finally the yolk of an egg. See
that the whole is not softened too much.

Now take some wafers, not too thin and cut them in squares similar to
those used by druggists. Beat one egg and the white from the other egg,
then take a wafer, dip it in the egg and place it on a layer of bread
crumbs ground fine. On the wafer put a little ball of the compound[Pg 55]
above, then dip another wafer in the egg, make it touch the bread crumbs
only from the part that remains outside, and with this cover the
compound attaching it to the lower wafer. Sprinkle again with bread
crumbs if necessary and put the piece aside repeating the operation
until all the meat is disposed of. Cook in oil or fat and serve with
lemon.

With half a pound of meat about twenty filled wafers should be obtained.


ROMAN FRY

II.

This can be made when you happen to have some breast of roast chicken
left over. Some chicken breast, two or three slices of tongue and ham,
one tablespoonful of grated cheese, a taste of nutmeg, are the
ingredients used. Remove the skin of the chicken and cut it as well as
the tongue and the ham, into little cubes. Make a Balsamella (see No.
54) in sufficient quantity and when it is cooked add the above
ingredients and let it cool well to fry using the wafer as in the
preceding.


RICE PANCAKE

(Frittelle di riso)

Cook thoroughly ¼ lb. of rice in about a pint of water giving it taste
with a little piece of sugar[Pg 56] and a taste of lemon peel. Leave it cool
and then add three yolks of eggs and a little flour. Mix well and let
the whole rest for several hours. When you are going to fry beat the
white of an egg to a froth, add it to the rice and throw into the frying
pan one tablespoonful at a time.

Serve hot sprinkled with confectionery sugar.


KIDNEY SAUTÉ

(Rognoni saltati)

Take one large kidney, or two or three small kidneys, open them and
remove all the fat. Cut lengthwise in thin slices, salt and pour as much
boiling water as is needed to cover them. When the water is thoroughly
cooled, drain it and wipe well the slices with a cloth, then put them in
a frying pan with a small piece of butter. Turn them often and when they
have cooked for five minutes put in a pinch of flour and season with
salt and pepper. Leave them on the fire until thoroughly cooked and when
you are going to take them away add another piece of butter, a sprig of
chopped parsley and a little broth if needed. The kidney must not be
kept too much on the fire, because in that case it hardens.[Pg 57]


LEG OF MUTTON IN CASSEROLE

(Cosciotto di castrato in cazzaruola)

Take a shoulder or a leg of mutton and after having boned it, lard it
with small pieces of bacon dipped in salt and pepper. Salt moderately
the meat then tie it tight and put it on the fire in a pan that contains
a piece of butter and one large onion larded with clover. When it begins
to brown, take it away from the fire and add a cup of broth, or of
water, a little bunch of greens and some tomatoes cut in pieces. Put
again on a low fire and let it simmer for three hours, keeping the
saucepan closed, but opening from time to time to turn the meat. When it
is cooked, throw away the onion, rub the sauce through a sieve, remove
its fat and put it with the meat when served. The mutton must not be
overdone, for in this case it cannot be sliced.


STEWED CUTLETS

(Scaloppine alla Livornese)

Take some slices of tender beef, beat them well and put them in a
saucepan with a piece of butter. When this is all melted, put one or two
tablespoonfuls of broth to complete the cooking, season with salt and
pepper, add a pinch of flour[Pg 58] and before taking them from the fire put
in a pinch of chopped parsley.


CUTLETS OF CHOPPED MEAT

(Scaloppine di carne battuta)

Take some good lean beef, clean it well, removing all little skins and
tendons, then first chop and after grind the meat fine in the grinder.
Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of grated cheese. Mix well and give
the meat the form of a ball then with bread crumbs over and beneath
flatten it with the rolling pin on the bread board making a sheet of
meat as thick as a silver dollar. Cut it in square pieces, as large as
the palm of the hand and cook in a saucepan with butter. When these
cutlets are browned, pour over some tomato sauce and serve.

If you prefer, use your hands instead of the rolling pin and then you
can give them the shapes you like.

If you have some left over meat this can perfectly well be mixed with
the raw meat and chopped and ground together.


VEAL CUTLETS STEWED

(Scaloppine alla Genovese)

Cut some lean veal meat into slices and, supposing it be a pound or a
little more, without[Pg 59] bones, chop one fourth of a middle-sized onion and
put it in a saucepan with oil and a little piece of butter. Put over the
cutlets, one layer over the other, season with salt and butter and put
on the fire. When the meat which is below is browned put in a
teaspoonful of flour and after a while a hash of parsley with half a
clove of garlic. Then detach the cutlets the one from the other, mix
them, let them drink in the sauce, then pour hot water and a little
tomato sauce. Make it boil slowly and not much to complete the cooking
and serve with abundant sauce and with little diamonds of toast.


STUFFED CUTLET

(Braciuoline ripiene)

Slice from a piece of veal (about one pound) seven or eight cutlets and
beat them well with a knife blade to flatten them. Then chop some tender
veal meat and one or two slices of ham and add a small quantity of
marrow bone (of veal) and grated cheese. The marrow and the grated
cheese must be reduced to a paste with the blade of a knife. One egg is
then added to tie up the hash and a pinch of pepper, but no salt on
account of the ham and the cheese that already contain it. Spread the
cutlets and put the hash in the middle, then roll them up and tie them
with strong thread.[Pg 60]

Now prepare a small hash with a little onion, a piece of celery a piece
of carrot and a small quantity of corned beef and put it in the fire in
a saucepan with a small piece of butter, at the same time that you put
the cutlets. Season with salt and pepper and when they begin to brown
pour some tomato sauce and complete the cooking with water. Before
serving, remove the thread with which the cutlets have been tied.


MEAT OMELETTE

(Polpettone)

Take one pound of veal, without bones, clean it well taking away all
skins and tendons and then chop it together with a slice of ham. Season
moderately with salt pepper and spices, add one whole egg then with
moistened hands make a ball of the chopped meat and sprinkle with flour.

Make a hash with two or three slices of onion (not more) parsley,
celery, and carrot, put it on the fire with a piece of butter and when
it is browned throw in the Polpettone. Brown well on all sides and then
pour in the saucepan half a tumbler of water in which half a
tablespoonful of flour has been previously diluted. Cover and make it
simmer on a very low fire, seeing that it doesn't burn. When you serve
with the gravy squeeze the juice of half a lemon over it.[Pg 61]

If desired a hard boiled egg can be put shelled in the center of the
meat ball, so that it gives it a better appearance when sliced.


LAMB WITH PEAS

(Agnello ai piselli)

Take a piece of lamb from the hind side, lard it with two cloves of
garlic cut in little strips and with some sprigs of rosemary. Chop fine
a piece of lard and a slice of corned beef. Put the lamb on the fire
with this hash and a little oil and let it brown after seasoning with
salt and pepper. When it is browned add a piece of butter, some tomato
sauce, or tomato paste dissolved in water or soup stock and complete the
cooking. Take away the lamb, put the peas in the gravy, and when they
have simmered a little and are cooked put back the lamb and serve.


SHOULDER OF LAMB

(Spalla d'agnello)

Cut the meat of a shoulder of lamb in small pieces, or squares. Chop two
small onions, brown them with a piece of butter and when they are
browned put the meat and season with salt and pepper. Wait until the
meat begins to brown[Pg 62] and then add another piece of butter dipped in
flour. Mix the whole and complete the cooking with soup stock or water
with bouillon cubes poured in little by little.


BREAST OF VEAL STEWED

(Stufatino di petto di vitella)

Break a piece of breast of veal leaving all its bones.

Make a hash with garlic, parsley, celery and carrot; add oil, pepper and
salt and put on the fire with the meat. Turn it over often, and when it
begins to brown, sprinkle over a pinch of flour and a little tomato
sauce or tomato paste diluted in water. Complete the cooking with broth
or water. Finally add a piece of butter and pieces of celery cut in big
pieces which must have been before half cooked in water and browned in
butter. Care must be taken to keep the saucepan always covered, in this
as in other stews.


VEAL WITH GRAVY

(Vitella in guazzetto)

First take about one pound of veal and tie it well. Then cover the
bottom of the saucepan with some thin slices of corned beef and a piece
of[Pg 63] butter. Over this place half a lemon cut in four thin slices from
which the skin and the seeds must be removed. Over all this put the veal
which must be well browned on all sides, but care must be taken not to
burn it on account of the small quantity of liquid. Afterward, remove
the superfluous fat and pour over a cup of hot milk, that has boiled.
Cover the saucepan and complete the cooking. Before serving rub the
gravy through a sieve.


TRIPE WITH GRAVY

Boil some tripe in water and when it is boiled, cut it in strips, one
quarter of an inch wide and wipe it well with a cloth. Then put it in a
saucepan with butter, and when this is melted, add some brown stock or
good tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper, cook thoroughly and add
a pinch of grated cheese before taking from the saucepan.


VEAL LIVER IN GRAVY

(Fegato di vitella al sugo)

Chop fine a scallion or an onion, make it brown in oil and butter, and
when it has taken a dark red color, throw in the liver cut in thin
slices. When half cooked season with salt, pepper and[Pg 64] a pinch of
chopped parsley. Make it simmer on a low fire so that the gravy remains,
and serve in its gravy, squeezing over some lemon juice when sent to the
table.

In this and in similar cases, when using scallions or onions, some
advise putting these in a cloth after being chopped and dip them in cold
water squeezing them dry after.


MUTTON CUTLETS AND FILET OF VEAL

(Braciuole di castrato e filetto di vitella)

Put in saucepan a slice of ham, some butter, a little bunch composed of
carrot, celery and stems of parsley and over this some whole cutlets of
mutton seasoned with salt and pepper. Make them brown on both sides, add
another piece of butter, if necessary, and add to the cutlets some
chicken giblets, sweetbreads and fresh or dry mushrooms (the latter
softened in water), all cut in pieces. When all this begins to brown,
pour some soup stock and let it simmer on a low fire. Sprinkle a little
flour and finally pour a wineglass (or half a tumbler) of white wine
leaving it boil a little more. When ready to serve remove the ham and
the greens, rub the gravy through a sieve and remove the superfluous
fat.[Pg 65]


TENDERLOIN WITH MARSALA

(Filetto al marsala)

Roll a piece of the tenderloin, tie it and, if it is about two pounds,
put it on the fire with a middle-sized onion cut in thin slices, some
thin slices of ham and a piece of butter, seasoning but moderately with
salt and pepper. When it is browned from all sides and the onion is
consumed, sprinkle a pinch of flour, let this take color and then pour
some soup stock or water. Make it simmer on a low fire, then rub the
gravy through a sieve, skim off the fat and with this and half a small
tumbler of Marsala or Sherry wine put it back on the fire to simmer
again. Serve with the gravy neither too liquid nor too thick.

The filet can also be larded with bacon and cooked in butter and Marsala
only.


MEAT GENOVESE

(Carne alla Genovese)

Take thick slices of good lean veal, weighing about a pound, beat it and
flatten it well. Beat three or four eggs, season them with salt and
pepper, a pinch of grated cheese and some chopped parsley. Fry the eggs
in butter in the form of an omelet about the size of the meat over[Pg 66]
which it will be laid, cutting it where it overlaps and putting the
pieces where it lacks so as to cover the meat entirely. After that roll
tight the meat together with the omelet and tie it with thread. Then
sprinkle some flour over it and put it in a saucepan with a piece of
butter, seasoning with salt and pepper. When it is well browned on all
sides, pour some soup stock to complete the cooking and serve it in its
gravy which will be thick enough on account of the flour.


RICE PUDDING WITH GIBLETS

(Sfornato di riso con rigoglie)

Make a good brown stock (see No. 13) and use the same for the rice as
well as for the giblets. To these add some thin slices of ham and brown
them first in butter, seasoned moderately with salt and pepper,
completing the cooking with brown stock. A taste of mushrooms will be
found useful.

Brown the rice equally in butter, then complete the cooking with hot
water. Drain and put the brown stock, adding grated cheese and two
beaten eggs, when the rice has cooled a little.

Take a smooth mold, round or oval, grease it evenly with butter, cover
the bottom with buttered paper and place in it the rice to harden it in
the oven. When taken from the mold pour over[Pg 67] the gravy from the
giblets, slightly thickened with a pinch of flour and serve with the
giblets around, seeing that there is plenty of gravy for them.


PUDDING GENOESE

(Budino alla genovese)

Chop together a slice of veal, some chicken breast and two slices of ham
and then grind or better pound them, with a small piece of butter, a
tablespoonful of grated cheese and a crumb of bread soaked with milk.
Rub through a sieve and add three tablespoonfuls of Balsamella (see No.
54) which you will make thick enough for this dish, three eggs and just
a taste of nutmeg, mixing everything well.

Take a smooth mold, grease it evenly with butter and put on the bottom a
sheet of paper, cut according to the shape of the bottom and equally
greased with butter. Pour over the above ingredients and cook in a
vessel immersed in boiling water (double boiler).

When taken from the mold, remove the paper and in its place put a gravy
formed with chopped chicken giblets cooked in brown stock. Serve hot.[Pg 68]


LIVER LOAF

(Pane di fegato)

Cut about one pound of veal liver in thin slices and four chicken livers
in two parts and put all this in a saucepan with rosemary and a piece of
butter. When this is melted put in another piece and season with salt
and pepper. After four or five minutes at a live fire, remove the liver
(dry) and grind it together with the rosemary. In the gravy that remains
in the saucepan put a big crumb of bread, cut into small pieces and make
a paste that will also be ground with the liver. Then rub everything
through a sieve, add one whole egg and two yolks and a pinch of grated
cheese, diluting with brown stock or water. Finally put in a smooth mold
with a sheet of paper in the bottom, all evenly greased with butter and
cook in a double boiler. Remove from the mold when cool and serve cold,
with gelatine.


VEAL WITH TUNNY

(Vitello tonnato)

Take two pounds of meat without bones, remove the fat and tendons, then
lard it with two anchovies. These must be washed and boned and cut
lengthwise, after opening them, making[Pg 69] in all eight pieces. Tie the
piece of meat not very tight and boil it for an hour and a half in
enough water to cover it completely. Previously put into the water one
quarter of an onion larded with clover, one leaf of laurel, celery,
carrot and parsley. Salt the water generously and don't put the veal in
until it is boiling. When the veal is cooked, untie, dry it and keep it
for two or three days in the following sauce in quantity sufficient to
cover it.

Grind ¼ pound tunny fish preserved in olive oil and two anchovies,
crush them well with the blade of a knife and rub through a sieve adding
good olive oil in abundance little by little, and squeeze in one whole
lemon, so that the sauce should remain liquid. Finally mix in some
capers soaked in vinegar.

Serve the veal cold, in thin slices, with the sauce.

The stock of the veal can be rubbed through a sieve and used for
risotto.


STUFFED ITALIAN SQUASH

(Zucchini ripieni)

For a description of the Zucchini see No. 32.

To make the stuffed zucchini first cut them lengthwise in two halves and
remove the interior pulp, leaving space enough for the filling.[Pg 70]

Take some lean veal (quantity in proportion to the squashes) cut it into
pieces and place it on the fire in a saucepan with a hash of onion,
parsley, celery, carrot, a little corned beef cut in little pieces, a
little oil, salt and pepper. Stir it often with a spoon and when the
meat is brown pour in a cup of water and then another after a while.
Then rub the gravy through a sieve and put it aside.

Chop the cooked meat fine and grind it in the grinder and make a hash of
it and one egg, a little grated cheese, a crumb of bread boiled in milk
or in soup stock and just a taste of nutmeg. Put this hash inside each
half squash and put them to brown in butter, completing the cooking with
the gravy set aside.


STRING BEANS AND SQUASHES SAUTÉ

(Fagiolini e zucchini sauté)

Brown in butter some string beans, that have been previously half cooked
in water and some raw squashes cut in cubes. Put the squashes in only
when the butter is beginning to brown. Season moderately with salt and
butter and add some brown stock or good tomato sauce.[Pg 71]


STRING BEANS WITH EGG SAUCE

(Fagiuolini in salsa d'uovo)

Take less than a pound of string beans, cutting off the two points and
removing all the strings, and then cook them partially in water
moderately salted. Take them from the kettle, drain, and brown with
butter, salt and pepper. Beat one yolk with a teaspoonful of flour and
the juice of half a small lemon, dilute with half a cup of cold broth
from which the fat has been removed and put this liquid on the fire in a
small saucepan stirring continually. When the liquid has become, through
the cooking, like a cream, pour it on the string beans that you will
keep on the fire a little longer, with the sauce. The string beans so
prepared can be served with boiled beef.


STRING BEANS IN MOLD

(Sformato di fagiolini)

Take one pound of string beans, seeing that they are quite tender. Cut
off the ends and remove the strings. Throw them into boiling water with
a pinch of salt and when they are half cooked take them away and put
them in cold water. If you have brown stock complete the cooking with
this and with butter, otherwise brown a piece of[Pg 72] onion, some parsley, a
piece of celery and olive oil. When the onion is browned put in the
string beans and complete the cooking with a little water if necessary.

Prepare a Balsamella sauce (No. 54) with a small piece of butter, half a
teaspoonful of flour and half a cup of milk. With this, a tablespoonful
of grated cheese and four beaten eggs bind the string beans when they
are cold, mix and put in a mold, evenly greased with butter and the
bottom covered with paper. Cook in a double boiler and serve hot.


CAULIFLOWER IN MOLD

(Sformato di cavolfiore)

Take a good sized cauliflower, remove the stalk and outside leaves, half
cook it in water and then cut it into small pieces. Salt them and put
them to brown with a little piece of butter and then complete the
cooking with a cup of milk. Then rub them through a sieve. Prepare a
Balsamella (No. 54) and add it to the cauliflower with 3 beaten eggs and
a tablespoonful of grated cheese.

Cook in a greased mold and serve hot.[Pg 73]


ARTICHOKES IN MOLD

(Sformato di carciofi)

Remove the outside leaves of the artichokes, the harder part of all
leaves, and clean the stalks without removing them.

Cut each artichoke into four parts and put them to boil in salt water
for only five minutes. If left longer on the fire they become too soaked
in water and lose their taste. Remove from the water, drain them, grind
or pound and rub them through a sieve. Season the pulp so obtained with
two or three beaten eggs, two or three tablespoonfuls of Balsamella (No.
54) grated cheese, salt and a taste of nutmeg, but taste the seasoning
several times to see that it is correctly dosed.

Place in a mold with brown stock or meat gravy (in that case use a mold
with a hole) and cook in double boiler.


FRIED MUSHROOMS

(Funghi fritti)

Choose middle-sized mushrooms, which are also of the right ripeness:
when they are too big they are too soft and if small they are too hard.

Scrape the stems, wash them carefully but do not keep in water, for then
they would lose their[Pg 74] pleasant odor. Then cut them in rather large
slices and dip them in flour before putting in the frying pan. Olive oil
is best for frying mushrooms and the seasoning is composed exclusively
of salt and pepper to be applied when they are frying. They can also be
dipped in beaten eggs after being sprinkled with flour, but this is
superfluous.


STEWED MUSHROOMS

(Funghi in umido)

For a stew the mushrooms ought to be below middle-size. Clean, wash and
cut as for the preceding. Put a saucepan on the fire with olive oil, one
or two cloves of oil and some mint leaves. When the oil begins to
splutter, put the mushrooms in without dipping in flour, season with
salt and pepper and when they are half cooked pour in some tomato sauce.
Be sparing however, with the seasoning, in order that the mushrooms do
not absorb it too much and so lose some of their own delicate flavor.


DRIED MUSHROOMS

(Funghi secchi)

Mushrooms are an excellent condiment of various dishes and for this
reason it is well to have some always at hand. Since, however, it is
not[Pg 75] always possible to have them fresh, the following recipe to prepare
dried mushrooms will be found useful.

First of all wait until there is a sunny day. Choose young mushrooms
middle sized or big, but not too soft. Scrape the stem, clean them well
in order to remove the earth and, without washing cut them in big
pieces. This because when dried they diminish considerably in size. Keep
these pieces exposed in the sun for two or three days, then thread them
on a string (practising a hole in them) and keep in a well ventilated
room or in the sun until they become quite dry. Then put them away well
closed in a paper bag, but don't fail to look at them from time to time
to see if it is necessary to expose them some more to sun and
ventilation.

To use them soften in warm water, but keep them in as little as
possible, so that they do not lose their delicate flavor. The best time
to dry the mushrooms is June or July.


FRIED EGG-PLANTS

(Melanzane fritte)

Egg-plant or, as they are also called, mad-apples are an excellent
vegetable which may be used as dressing or as a dish by itself. Small or
middle-sized egg-plants are to be preferred, as[Pg 76] the big ones have
sometimes a slightly bitter taste.

Remove the skin, cut into cubes, salt and leave them in a plate for a
few hours. Then wipe them to remove the juice that they have thrown out,
dip in flour and fry in oil.


STEWED EGG-PLANTS

(Melanzane in umido)

Remove the skin, cut them into cubes and place on the fire with a piece
of butter. When this is all absorbed, complete the cooking with tomato
sauce (No. 12).


EGG-PLANTS IN THE OVEN

(Melanzane al forno)

Skin five or six egg-plants, cut them in round slices and salt them so
that they throw out the water that they contain. After a few hours dip
in flour and frying oil.

Take a fireproof vase or baking tin and place the slices in layers, with
grated cheese between each layer, abundantly seasoned with tomato sauce
(No. 12).

Beat one egg with a pinch of salt, a tablespoonful of tomato sauce, a
teaspoonful of grated[Pg 77] cheese and two of crumbs of bread, and cover the
upper layer with this sauce. Put the vase in the oven and when the egg
is coagulated, serve hot.


DRESSING OF CELERY

(Sedano per contorno)

The following are three ways to prepare celery to be served as seasoning
or seasoning for meat dishes. For the first two make the pieces about
four inches long, and two inches for the third. The stalk must be
skinned, cut crosswise and left attached to the rib of the celery. Boil
it in water moderately salted not over five minutes and remove dry.

1. Put the celery to brown in butter, then complete the cooking with
brown stock (No. 13) and sprinkle with grated cheese when serving.

2. Put in saucepan a piece of butter and a hash made with ham and a
middle sized onion, chopped fine. Add two cloves and make it boil. When
the onion is browned add soup stock or hot water with bouillon cubes and
complete the cooking. Then rub everything through a sieve and put the
gravy in a plate with the celery, seasoning with pepper only, as the
salt is already in the ham and serve with the gravy.

3. Dip the celery in flour and in the paste for frying (No. 58) and fry
in fat or oil. Or else[Pg 78] dip in flour and then in beaten egg, wrap in
bread crumbs and fry.


ARTICHOKES WITH SAUCE

(Carciofi in salsa)

Remove the hard leaves of the artichokes, cut the points and skin the
stalk. Divide each artichoke into four parts or six if they are big, and
put them on the fire with butter in proportion, seasoning with salt and
pepper. Shake the saucepan to turn them and when they have absorbed a
good part of the melted butter, pour in some broth to complete the
cooking. Remove them dry, and in the gravy that remains put a pinch of
chopped parsley, one or two teaspoonfuls of cheese grated fine, lemon
juice, more salt and pepper if needed, and, mixing the whole, make it
simmer for a while. Then remove the sauce from the fire and add one or
two yolks of egg, according to the quantity and put back on the fire
with more broth to make the sauce loose. Put the artichokes in the sauce
this second time to heat them and serve especially as a side-dish for
boiled meat.


STUFFED ARTICHOKES

(Carciofi ripieni)

Cut the stalk at the base, remove the small outside leaves and wash the
artichokes. Then cut[Pg 79] the top and open the internal leaves so that you
can cut the bottom with a small knife and remove the hairy part if it is
there. Keep aside the small interior leaves to put them with the
stuffing. This, if to be used, for example, for six artichokes, must be
composed of the above small leaves, 1/8 lb. of ham more lean than fat,
one fourth of a small onion, just a taste of garlic, some leaves of
celery or parsley, a pinch of dry mushrooms, softened in water, a crumb
of bread and a pinch of pepper, but no salt.

First chop the ham, then grind everything together and with the hash
fill the artichokes, and put them to cook standing on their stalks in a
saucepan with some oil, salt and pepper. Some prefer to give the
artichokes a half cooking in water before stuffing it, but it is hardly
advisable, because in this way they lose part of their special flavor.


ARTICHOKES STUFFED WITH MEAT

(Carciofi ripieni di carne)

For six artichokes, make the following stuffing:

¼ lb. lean veal.
Two slices of ham, more fat than lean.
The interior part of the artichokes.
[Pg 80]One fourth of onion (small).
Some leaves of parsley.
One pinch of softened dried mushrooms.
One small crumb of bread rolled and sifted.
One pinch of grated cheese.

When the artichokes have been browned with oil alone, pour a little
water and cover with a moistened cloth kept in place by the cover. The
steam that surrounds the artichokes cooks them better.


PEAS WITH ONION SAUCE

(Piselli alla francese)

The following recipe is good for one of fresh peas. Take two young
onions, cut them in half, put some stems of parsley in the middle and
tie them. Then put them into the fire with a piece of butter and when
they are browned, pour over a cup of soup stock. Make it boil and when
the onions are softened rub them through a sieve together with the gravy
that you will then put on the fire with the peas and two whole hearts of
lettuce. Season with salt and pepper and let it simmer. When the peas
are half cooked add another piece of butter dipped in a scant
tablespoonful of flour and pour in some broth, if necessary. Before
sending to the table put in two yolks of eggs dissolved in a little
broth.[Pg 81]

II

The following recipe is simpler than the preceding, but not so delicate.
Cut an onion in very thin slices and put it on the fire in a saucepan
with a little butter. When it is well browned add a pinch of flour, mix
and then add according to the quantity, a cup or two of soup stock or
water with bouillon cubes and allow the flour to cook. Put in the peas,
season with salt and pepper and add, when they are half cooked, one or
two whole hearts of lettuce. Let it simmer, seeing that the gravy is not
too thick.

Before serving remove the lettuce.


PEAS WITH HAM

(Piselli col prosciutto)

Cut in two one or two young onions, according to the quantity of the
peas and put them on the fire with oil and one thick slice of ham cut
into small cubes. Brown until the ham is shrivelled; then put the peas
in, season with a pinch of pepper and very little salt, mix and complete
the cooking with broth, adding a little butter.

Before serving, throw the onion away.[Pg 82]


PEAS WITH CORNED BEEF

(Piselli con la carne secca)

Put on the fire a hash of corned beef, garlic, parsley and oil, season
with a little salt and pepper and when the garlic is browned, put the
peas in. When they have absorbed the sauce, complete the cooking with
broth or, failing that, with water.


STUFFED TOMATOES

(Pomodori ripieni)

Select ripe middle-sized tomatoes, cut them in two equal parts and scoop
out the inside seeds. Season with salt and pepper and fill the tomatoes
with the following hash, in such a way as to make the stuffing come over
the edge of the half tomato:

Make a hash with onion, parsley and celery, put it on the fire with a
piece of butter and when it is browned, put in a small handful of dried
mushrooms previously softened in water and chopped very fine: add a
tablespoonful of bread crumbs soaked in milk, season with salt and
pepper and let the compound simmer, moistening with water if necessary.
When you take from the fire add, when it is still lukewarm, grated
cheese[Pg 83] and a beaten yolk (or two) of egg, but seeing that the compound
does not become too liquid.

When the tomatoes are filled, take them in the oven with a little butter
and oil mixed together and serve them as a side-dish for roast beef or
steak.

The stuffed tomatoes can be made simpler with a hash of garlic and
parsley mixed with bread crumbs, salt and pepper and seasoned with oil
when they are in the saucepan.


CAULIFLOWER WITH BALSAMELLA

(Cavolfiore colla balsamella)

Remove from a good sized cauliflower the external leaves and the green
ribs, make a deep cut crosswise in the stalk and cook it in salted
water. Then cut it in sections and brown with butter, salt and pepper.
Put it in a baking tin, throw over a small pinch of grated cheese, cover
with the balsamella (No. 54) and brown the surface.

Serve this cauliflower as an entremets or as a side-dish with boiled
chicken or a stew.


STUFFED CABBAGE

(Cavolo ripieno)

Take a big cabbage, remove the hard outside leaves, cut the stem off
even with the leaves[Pg 84] and give it half cooking in salt water. Put it
upside down to drain, then open the leaves one by one until the heart is
exposed and on this put the stuffing. Bring up all the leaves, close
them and tie with thread crosswise.

The stuffing can be made with milk veal stewed alone, or with sweetbread
or chicken liver, all chopped fine. To make it more delicate, add some
balsamella (No 54) a pinch of grated cheese, one yolk of egg and a taste
of nutmeg. Complete the cooking of the cabbage in the sauce of this
stew, adding a little butter, on a low fire or in the oven kept low.

Instead of filling the whole cabbage, the larger leaves may be filled
one by one, rolling and tying them.


SIDE-DISH OF SPINACH

(Spinaci per contorno)

After cooking the spinach in boiling water and chopping them fine, the
spinach can be cooked in different ways:

1. With butter, salt and pepper, adding a little brown stock, if you
have it, or a few tablespoonfuls of broth, or milk.

2. With onion sauce (onion chopped very fine) and butter.

3. With butter salt and pepper, adding a very small pinch of grated
cheese.[Pg 85]

4. With butter, a drop of olive oil and tomato sauce (No. 12) or tomato
paste diluted with soup stock or water.


ASPARAGUS

(Sparagi)

Asparagus can be prepared in many different ways, but the simplest and
best is that of boiling them and serving them seasoned with olive oil
and vinegar or lemon juice. However there are other ways as, for
instance, the following: Put them whole to brown a little with the green
part in butter and, after seasoning them with salt, pepper and a pinch
of grated cheese, pour over the melted butter when it is browned. Or
else divide the white from the green part and place them as follows in a
fireproof plate: Dust the bottom with grated cheese and dispose over the
points of the asparagus one near the other; season with salt, pepper,
grated cheese and little pieces of butter. Make another layer of
asparagus and, seasoning in the same way, continue until you have them.
Be moderate in the seasoning. Cross the layers of asparagus like a
trestle, put on the oven and keep until the seasoning, is melted. Serve
hot.

If you have some brown stock, parboil them first and complete the
cooking with brown stock,[Pg 86] adding a little bust and dusting moderately
with grated cheese.


FISH WITH BREAD CRUMBS

(Pesce col pane grattato)

This, which can also be served as a side-dish, is made especially when
you have boiled fish of good quality left over.

Cut it into little pieces, remove carefully all the bones, then put it
in the balsamella (No. 54) and season with enough salt, grated cheese
and some mushrooms chopped fine. If dried mushrooms soften in water
first. Then take a fireproof plate, grease it evenly with butter and
dust with bread crumbs ground fine; pour into it the fish prepared as
above and cover with a thin layer of bread crumbs. Finally put over a
piece of butter, brown in the oven and serve hot.


STEWED FISH CUTLETS

(Pesce a taglio in umido)

The fish that can be used for this dish are the tunny, the umber or
grayling, the sword fish and any piece of fish of large size and good
savor. A pound may be sufficient for four or five persons.[Pg 87]

Remove the scales, clean and dry well, dip in flour and put to brown in
a little oil. Remove dry, throw away the oil that remains and clean the
saucepan. Make a hash, chopped very fine, with half a middle sized
onion, a piece of white celery and a good pinch of parsley. Put this to
brown on the fire with sufficient oil and season with salt, pepper and
one whole clove. When it is browned put abundant tomato sauce (No 12) or
tomato paste diluted in broth or water. Let it simmer for a while, then
place the fish to complete the cooking, turning it over frequently. The
fish must be served with this thick gravy that ought to be abundant.


WHITING WITH ANCHOVY SAUCE

(Merluzzo alla Palermitana)

Take one whiting, one pound or a little more, and trim all the fins,
leaving the tail and the head. Split it to remove the bone, and season
with a little salt and pepper. Turn it on the back, grease with oil,
season with salt and pepper, dust with bread crumbs then lay it with two
tablespoonfuls of oil on a fireproof plate or baking tin.

Take three or four good sized anchovies, bone and clean them, chop them
and put on the fire with two tablespoonfuls of oil, but do not allow[Pg 88] it
to boil. With this sauce cover the back of the fish and dust it all with
bread crumbs, putting also some leaves of rosemary. Bake in the oven,
allowing a little crust to form over, but see that it doesn't dry up,
pouring over to this purpose more oil. Before removing from the tin
squeeze half a lemon over.

This dish can be served surrounded by little toast with caviar, or
anchovies and butter.


STEWED EEL

(Anguille in umido)

For this dish it is preferable to have good sized eels that must not be
skinned, but cut in small pieces.

Chop some onion and parsley, put it on the fire with oil, salt, and
pepper, and when the onion is browned, add the pieces of eel. Wait until
it has absorbed the taste of the onion sauce and then complete the
cooking with tomato sauce (No. 12).

See that there is plenty of gravy and serve with little squares or
diamonds of toast.


EELS WITH PEAS

(Anguille coi piselli)

Cook the eels as above with the onion sauce and when it is cooked remove
it dry to cook the[Pg 89] green peas in the sauce. The pieces of eel should be
put back in the sauce to be warmed. No tomato sauce is necessary here.


MUSSELS WITH EGG SAUCE

(Arselle in salsa d'uovo)

A good washing with fresh water is sufficient for mussels that do not
have any sand to be cleaned away. Put them on the fire with a sauce of
oil, garlic, parsley and a pinch of pepper. Shake them and keep the
saucepan covered seeing that they do not absorb all of the sauce. Take
them out when they are open and prepare the following sauce: one or more
yolks of egg, according to the quantity, lemon juice, one teaspoonful of
flour, broth and some of their own juice. Cook this sauce until it
becomes a smooth cream and pour it on the mussels when they are served.


MUSSELS WITH TOMATO SAUCE

(Arselle alla livornese)

Chop fine half an onion and put it on the fire with oil and a pinch of
pepper. When the onion begins to brown add a pinch of parsley chopped
not very fine and after put in the mussels with[Pg 90] tomato sauce (No. 12)
or tomato paste diluted in water. Shake them often and when they are
open, put them over slices of toast prepared beforehand and arranged on
a plate.


CODFISH

(Baccalá)

I

Freshen and soak the codfish in cold water, changing the water two or
three times, or, better, keeping it for some time in a vase under
running cold water. Then cut it into pieces as large as the palm of the
hand and dip them in flour until they are well covered. Then put a
kettle or a saucepan on the fire with plenty of oil and two or three
cloves of garlic, whole but a little crushed. When the garlic begins to
brown put in the codfish and brown it on both sides, stirring it often,
so that it doesn't burn. Salt is not necessary, or at least only a
little after tasting, but a little pepper will not be amiss. Finally
pour over some tomato sauce (No. 12) or tomato paste diluted in water,
let it boil a little more and serve.[Pg 91]


II

The following is another way to prepare the codfish, slightly different
from the preceding. Cut the codfish as above, then put it as it is in
saucepan with some olive oil. Spread over it a hash of garlic and
parsley and season with a pinch of pepper, oil and little pieces of
butter. Cook on a good fire and turn it with care, because, not being
sprinkled with flour, it breaks easily. When it is cooked, squeeze a
lemon over and serve.


FRIED CODFISH

(Baccalá fritto)

Place the codfish on the fire—after washing as explained in No. 107—in
a kettle with cold water and as salt, and as soon as the water boils,
remove the codfish.

After boiling cut it in little pieces and remove all the bones. Sprinkle
some flour and dip in a frying paste composed of water, flour and a
little oil. Fry in oil and serve hot.


CODFISH CROQUETTES

(Cotolette di baccalá)

Boil as explained above and, if the quantity is one pound or a little
more put together two[Pg 92] anchovies and some parsley, chopping everything
together very fine. Add some pepper, a tablespoonful of grated cheese,
three or four tablespoonfuls of pap, composed of bread crumbs in large
pieces, water and butter, and two eggs. Give the compound the form of
several flat cutlets, dip them in beaten egg and in ground bread crumbs.
Fry in oil and serve with lemon, or tomato sauce.


FRIED DOG-FISH

(Palombo fritto)

Cut the dog-fish in slices, not very thick, and place it in a plate with
beaten eggs somewhat salted. Leave for some hours until half an hour
before frying, dip the slices in a mixture of bread crumbs, grated
cheese, garlic and parsley chopped fine, salt and pepper. A clove of
garlic is sufficient for one pound of fish. Fry in oil and serve with
lemon.


STEWED DOG-FISH

(Palombo in umido)

Cut the dog-fish in rather big pieces and then make a hash of garlic,
parsley and very little onion. Put this hash on the fire with oil and[Pg 93]
when it is sufficiently browned, put the pieces of dog-fish and season
with salt and pepper. When the fish is cooked pour over some tomato
sauce (No. 12), let this simmer for a while, then serve.


ROAST-BEEF

(Arrosto)

Although roast-beef is not an Italian dish, still it is prepared in a
peculiar way by the Italians, and hence this recipe finds its place
here.

To obtain a good roast-beef not less than two pounds ought to be cooked
on a strong fire. It ought to be covered with good olive oil and finally
with cup of soup stock which with the oil and the juice from the meat
will form a rich gravy. Salt it only when it is half cooked and do it
moderately, because the beef is already tasty by itself.

Put it on the fire half an hour before the soup is served and the meal
begins. This will be sufficient if the piece is not very big. To
ascertain the cooking prick it in the bigger part with a thin
larding-pin, but not often, in order not to allow too much juice to
escape. The juice must neither be of the color of the blood nor too
dark.

If baked it is to be seasoned with salt, oil and a piece of butter,
surrounded by raw potatoes[Pg 94] peeled. Pour in the kettle a cup of broth or
of water. If you do not like cold roast beef, cut it into slices and
warm with butter and brown stock or tomato sauce.


ROAST VEAL

(Arrosto di vitella)

Choose for that milk veal that is to be found all the year round,
although it is always better during the spring or summer.

The piece or pieces of veal can be cooked in a saucepan, slightly larded
with garlic and rosemary, with oil, butter and a hash of corned beef,
salt, pepper and tomato sauce. In the gravy fresh peas can be cooked.


POT ROAST

(Arrosto morto)

This can be done with all kinds of meats, but the best is milk veal.
Take a good piece of the loins, roll it and tie with a string and put on
the fire with good olive oil and butter, both in small quantity. Brown
well from all sides, salt when half cooked and complete the cooking with
a half cup of broth, seeing that little juice remains. If no broth is at
hand, use tomato sauce, or tomato[Pg 95] paste diluted with water. Some corned
beef chopped fine can also be added.


POT ROAST WITH GARLIC AND ROSEMARY

(Arrosto morto coll'odore dell'aglio e del ramerino)

Cook the meat as above, but add a clove of garlic and one or two bunches
of rosemary in the saucepan. When serving the roast rub the gravy
through a sieve without pressing and surround the meat with potatoes or
vegetables cooked apart.

The leg of lamb comes very well in this way, baked in the oven.