Evening star., 1961-02-01

current craze for pizza.
SOME MAY QUESTION
the Italian origin Of the sub
marine sandwich. American
tourists ordering them have
probably been causing puz-
element in the espresso bars
Of Rome to say nothing Of
raised eyebrows at Donet's
or the PalaZzo.
Forty years ago walters at
MaXime'S the Marguery and
the Crillon in Paris were
puzzled by American tourists
demanding a well-known
French desert called crepeS
SuzetteS.
1t was later discovered to
be an invention of a French
chef named Charpentier,
who was at the Hotel Knick-
erbocker in New York.
This foreign-born French
dish was soon on their menus
and Rome had better look
out-the submarines are
coming.
When the writer's parents
made their post-honeymoon
tour of Italy in 1905. they
were surprised that none of
the menus offered macaroni
or spaghetti. That was peas
ant food and had nothing to
do with the grand hotel
culture then at its height.
They are on the menus now
and not only for the Amer
ican tourists.
There is no doubt of the
Italian origin Of pasta. 1t
dates back to the 18th CEN
tury. The word macaroni is
old in our American language.
You remember that's what
Yankee Doodle called him
self when he stuck a feather
in his cap. There were
macaroni clubs in London in
the days of George II. The
young dandieS were so-called
because of their tight pants.
But to this day it is only in
the italian American restau-
rants one can order from
the great number of Italian
dishes, which in Italy are
served in the areas of their
origin-lasagna, cheese man
icotti, egg plant parmigiana,
Saltinbocca a la romano, etc.
PASTA DOES NOT have
to have a tomato sauce to be
delicious. Tomatoes are used
with pasta only in the South
of Italy. The most appetiz-
ing story I have ever heard
about pasta was the account
of the late Peter Borras, the
proprietor of the Madrillon
Restaurant. He recalled a
boyhood moment. 1t was in
his native Tarragona near
Barcelona, when a great
opera singer from La Scala
in Milan ate in the hotel
room where he was a busboy.
He watched her eat with
fascination. She placed a
pound of butter on a great
pile of steaming spaghetti
and as the butter slowly
melted, she sprinkle d
chopped fresh parsley on it
Then she ate it all. All, the
simple things Of life!
I think that dish Is better
if you mix some grated par
mesan cheese with the spa
ghetti.
But a tomato sauce can be
good. Here is a recipe which
comes from a friend whose
sister married an Italian
American born in Boston. II
is his mothers recipe. She
was born and bred in Naples
Trim fat from six loin pork chops
Fry fat in skillet. Add diced clov
Of garlic. Saute until brown. Discar
garlic.
Brown chops on both sides rapid
in skillet. Transfer chops to larg
saucepan and cover them with tw
chopped medium-sized onions. Ad
two No. . cans OF whole tomatoe
and one can Of tomato paste--no
tomato Sauce-to fat in skillet
Salt and pepper--lots OF pepper
stir over low heat until inne
surface Of skillet is smooth. Pou
pan-thfs Is very important-sn
cook slowly-just o slight simmer
for 8 hours.
Remove cover. Remove bones an
pull meat apart with fork into bit
sizes. Return meat to sauce. Afte
Tewarmtng serve over spaghetti pre-
pared IN your favorite way. Thi
serves four.