The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08
THE MAKING OF MAcARoNI
An Italian EScuIent over Two Thou
sand Years i'm Use.

To Italy must be given the credit Of in
venting the word and the dish Of macaroni
writes Mrs. F. B. Clark. resident OF
Rome, in the "EDworth Herald" How
many centuries ago the Italians began to
make this popular article OF food no one
seems TO know II is unfortunate as a
matter Of history. that no bits OF the pasta
were found al Pompeii in the excavations.
but it is possible that even , 900 years ago
/ it was manufactured and eaten with enjoy
ment.
More macaroni is made near Naples than
/ in any other part of Italy. There is one
/ small village lying along the shores of the
l Mediterranean where two large manufac-
/ tories turn out many kill OF pasta each
| day 1t is said that attempts to make
/ nearly good macaroni in other countries Of
| Europe have failed. because it must be
| prepared with a certain -four made from
peculiar grain similar to wheat which
! is grown only in these southern climes. The
flour is called seminole, and is exceedingly
nutritious. Being mixed with water it IS.
while hot pressed through a tube through
variously formed openings. the result being
vermieelli. spaghetti, or macarOni. accord
ing to the Italian nomenclature.
Somebody said once that if one saw the
process Of making macaroni one would
never have the courage to eat it again:
consequently it is wiser not TO see il made,
for the pasta is very good. if properly
cooked. One can see il. however almost
any day. in the suburbs Of Naples. hang
ing out to dry in the sun. after having
been passed through the tubes The Ital-
ians hang il up with as much care as il it
were the weeks washing and in this is
the test whether Il has been made with
the genuine semolino flour. II it is Of
common -four. the long. delicate strands
will break apart and mildew; if Of real
semilino they will be so firm and tough
that they can be moved from place to
place without any damage
The varieties Of pasta are numberless.
It comes in strips as broad as two fingers.
in light ribbons. in fragile. hairlike
strands. For use in soups there are all
the different sorts which are to be found
in America. aud a great many more. The
fertile minds Of the NeapOlitans are con-
tinually employed in inyenting new de-
signs for their beloved macaroni good
housewife prides herself on the varieties
Of pasta fna which she puts into the fam
ily soup. an inevitable beginning to the
MONDAY and evening meal
The quantity of macaroni devOured by
the Italians in the course OF a year must
be enormous. In many families it is in
variably eaten once a day. and that in a
good. generous fashion The amount or
dinarily served on a table in America
would scarcely be considered sufficient for
enc NeapOlitan boy. The favorite appeal
Of the black-eyed. 1.-THE man who drives
one about the extensive city OF Naples is
for little extra money to buy macarOnl
for his family. And this appeal always
touches the heart Of a susceptible Ameri-
can.
"Ah. poor fellow. he probably has moth
ing to eat but macarOni,' the generous
man remarks to his wife. when they say
farewell to the smiling cochiere at the
door OF the hotel.
He is not aware that the average Nea-
politan would rather have a dish Of well
prepared pasta than tile long elaborate
table d'hote dinner to which he himself
sits down b. the time an Italian cook
has prepared the macarOni 10 is as tasty as
anyone could desire. And it is by no
means so economical as one might think
at first.
II is not common here to bake mdcarOni.
as We do in America. and IL is never served
as a vegetable, always in a course By it.
self. and usually preceding a roast. The
average portion for one" of macaroni
~ a restaurant is sufficient for an entire
family Of Americans. Still IL is very
good, indeed, and I have known several
foreigners who arrived in Italy firmly re-
solve never to touch that "hOrrid maca-
'Oui. no Succumbed TO tt the nr5t time
he we'll favored. smoking dish was set
before them.
The Italian mode Of preparing the pasta
Is this. The quantity desired is punEej
into a pot OF boiling water and is left
lere from ten to twenty minutes. After
being placed in colander to drain. there
IRE two ways Of dressing it. Pasta as
.iutta means that the big steaming mass
s thoroughly mixed with a generous piece
'armesan cheese. Pasta oil sugO consists
f macarOai. either large or small. with
-ich tomato sauce poured over it, and
rated cheese on the top.