Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-10
ITALIAN CUISI N E
NUTRITIOUS DISHES WITHOUT
MEAT-MACARoNI
Little Pastry and Much Fresh Fruit
Oil Instead of
Butter.
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune.
In view of the efforts which the American
people are periodically forced to make to
find some substitute for meat on their bill
of fare by reason of the manipulation of
the meat product of the country, it might
be well to study the italian cuisine, so
much more largely vegetarian than that
of America. The Italian race has occupied
a fairly prominent place in history and its
laborers, invading America by millions, do
the hardest work and make money at 1t, on
a diet which the American workman would
consider impossible.
Meat is the most unimportant article or
food on the menu of the Italian people, as
a whole. and macaroni the most important.
To a large extent rice takes the place of
macaroni in north Italy, for it is raised
there, and is cheap. Still macaroni is eaten
in every corner of Italy, though the north
has not the same fondness for 1t as tne
south. The famous Neapolitan macaronl
which is the macaronl OF South 1taly, IS
always cooked with tomato sauce, and the
preparation of the sauce is much the most
important part of the process. They use
fresh tomatoes In Italy, generally canneu
ones in this country.
There is a vast number of different kinds
or macaroni or rather different styles Tor
they seem to differ only in shape and Size
To Americans it is all macaroni. but the
Italians who love a different word Tor
every shade of meaning, have name for
every style. The largest size, big round
tubes, is "macaroni di Zita,' bride maca-
roni. Mezzani and spaghetti come next
"Lirgua di pasSi'-SparrowS tongueS-are
fiat like noodles and "Lassagne" are the
long fat strips hung out to dry in front
of the little macaroni factories In the ltal-
ian quarters of New York. Pastina, IN
grains like barley, and spaghetti, long and
fine like hay, are used in soup. There are
all manner of fancy shapes, rings and
curls and stripes, and "nocatelli, little
bows. One variety, shaped like human
ears, they irreverently dub priests ears"
A Standard Dish.
Americans do not half appreciate the pos
sibilities of macaroni. When Italians OF
good family and comfortable means can
make ii their standard dinner dish day
after day, just Americans take coffee
for breakfast, it would seem to have food
possibilities in it which will bear investfga-
ton. Italian macaroni should be used. 1t
costs two or three cents more a pound than
the American product. The difference IS
partly in the making, but more in the
variety of wheat used The true macarom
wheat is not grown in America. 1tallan
macaroni can be purchased at any of the
little italian groceries in the lower part OF
the city, in Blocker, Mulberry, Elizabeth
or any of the adjoining streets. 1t costs
Z or cents pound. The taste for maca-
roni grows with what it feeds on, until one
comes finally to understand how Italians
can eat it as they do. The explanation is
that it is pure wheat, one of the most
nourishing substances known to mankind;
and the butter, cheese or Oil with which 1t
is served supply the lacking oils and fats.
To cook it plunge the macaroni in a gen.
erous kettle of boiling water, and boil till
tender, some fifteen or twenty minutes.
Serve bowl of grated cheese with 1t. A
pound of macaroni makes a good plateful
apiece for four persons.
italian Cheeses.
The Italian cheeses should be used Kept
In tin and grated fresh for each meal, they
will remain eatable till the last morsel is
grated away. The Roman and Parmesan
cheese are standard varieties. Grated and
bottled ready for use, they come at 81
pound in the better class of American groc-
cries; but they can be had in bulk for from
80 to 80 cents a pound at Italian groceries.
Baked macaroni is very appetizing. Put
a layer of the boiled macaroni in the bot
tom of an earthen crock or any baking
dish. Cover with layer of tomatoes,
fresh or canned, then a layer of grated
cheese. Season we'll with salt and pep
per, sprinkle on Jumps of butter, ShredS
of onion and bits of leftover cold meat or
cold boiled potato, If desired. Add another
layer of macaroni and SO continue to the
top, which cover with created cheese.
Italians would add garlic, and smart
American cookery books would also rec
ommend it; but the plain American palate
would better fight shy of this condiment.
Let this bake till 1t is hot and steaming
and bubbles at the top.
Macaroni with eggs has all the seduc-
tiveness of Welsh rabbit. Beat some
eggs, two to pound of macaroni with
salt and pepper, and a generous allow
ance of grated cheese Have some but
ter hot in the frying pan. When the
macaroni is boiled, put it in the butter.
and toss 1t with fork until it is thor
ously buttered. Then pour in the eggs
and cheese slowly, tossing 1T till the paste
is thoroughly coated. 1t takes only a
few minutes to prepare this dish. These
are all Italian recipes, with the garlic
tremely satisfying for the expense and
labor involved. Americans cannot under
stand the Italian mania for the invariable
tomato sauce, and olive oil is too expen-
stve and not sufficiently agreeable to eat
In quantity with macaroni, as Italians do
An Italian who lived much in American
families was asked to give the salient
points in which the American cuisine
differed from the Italian. He replied i'm
mediately that it was in the universal
use of milk and butter in cooking in
stead of olive oil, and the amount of
sweets consumed. All that vast array of
pies, puddings and cakes, which have al
ways occupied SO much of the time and
thought of the American housewife. are
unknown to her Italian sister She never
makes such things. The word "dessert"
In Italian is "frutta fruit and fresh
fruit is the universal dessert in italy.
varied occasionally by nuts and rsisins.
Neither does the italian housewife ever
preserve fruit-an unnecessary toll in a
land where there is some variety of ripe
fruit every month in the year. The Italian
IN New York lrreverently denominates