Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management/Chapter LIII
General Observations on Italian Cookery, and Recipes for Typical Italian Dishes.
Cookery in Italy.—The Italians claim to have inherited their taste and capabilities for good cooking from the luxurious Romans, who were content to confer high honours, and give what appears to us extravagantly high remuneration to those who could gratify their inordinate and fantastic appetites. As a matter of fact, many dishes favoured by the Romans are still common in Italy, where the culinary art is said to have attained a high degree of perfection in the sixteenth century. As regards high-class cookery, the reputation has to some extent been maintained, but in other respects Italy has not kept pace with France, Austria, Germany, and many other countries.
Travellers who gain their knowledge solely from hotels and restaurants note little difference between Italian and French cookery, simply because the Italians, like ourselves, have not only borrowed and adapted much of the French cuisine, but also largely employ cooks of that nation. Italian and French cooks alike are skilful in providing a variety of vegetables in many tempting forms unknown to us. In this branch of cookery the Italians may be said to excel, the delicious flavour which characterises many of their vegetable preparations being largely due to the introduction of cheese. The Italians alone appear to rightly understand the use of cheese. A dinner of many courses may have in each course a dish of which cheese forms a part, yet though the palate is pleased by the flavour it imparts, its presence is not suspected. The Parmesan cheese, which the Italians principally use, takes its name from the town of Parma, where it is made most extensively. The dryness, the peculiar feature of Parmesan cheese, is secured by removing every particle of cream from the milk before converting it into cheese.
Polenta, risotto, and such farinaceous preparations as macaroni and spaghetti, may be said to be national foods. Polenta in its most simple form consists of milk thickened with Indian corn or maize meal, seasoned with salt, and cooked, frequently by baking, until firm. It may be served sliced or neatly arranged on a dish, but the Italians, nearly all of whom below a certain class have little regard for the niceties of life, frequently serve the polenta on a wooden platter, upon which it is turned when cooked. From this slices are cut off with a string; for it is as much against etiquette to use a knife to polenta as it is in England to use a steel knife for fish.
Risotto forms part of the daily fare of many Italians. Rice is its principal ingredient, as will be seen from the recipe for Risotto alla Milanese, No. 3744. Needless to say, the risotto of the poorer Italians is a much more simple preparation than the one referred to, for it often consists simply of well-cooked rice flavoured with a little onion browned in oil or butter, and a good sprinkling of cheese.
Simple as the process is, it would appear that macaroni, spaghetti, and similar preparations can only be cooked to perfection by the Italians. The respective pastes are cooked to a certain point, then drained, and thickened with white or tomato sauce, or a mixture of the two, with the addition of a little cream and a touch of cheese. Prepared by a skilful Italian cook, these dishes are perfect, and might with advantage be more frequently employed to vary the monotony of the English fare.
Their sauces, although distinctly flavoured with garlic, are delightful, for the Italians alone appear to rightly understand the use of this bulb. Tomato sauce made by an English cook, although it may be excellent in many respects, always lacks that indescribable "something" which the Italians impart to it.
Meals in Italy.—The brightness of the sun calls the Italians from their rest at an early hour. Like the French, their early repast generally consists simply of coffee or chocolate and rolls.
The Collazione, the midday meal of the upper classes, is almost identical with the English luncheon or the French déjeuner à la fourchette, while the simple meal of the poorer Italians frequently consists of nothing more substantial than chocolate or fruit and bread.
Afternoon Tea, the dainty meal that is purely English, and which seldom reaches perfection in any other country, is not unknown in Italy, but it is rarely provided except for English friends or English visitors.
The hour of serving Pranzo, the evening meal, varies just as it does in England or France, the masses partaking of it when their day's work is done, and the leisured classes at their convenience and pleasure.
Food Supply.—The Italian lakes and rivers abound in almost every variety of fish known to us, while on the south coast many kinds of shell-fish peculiar to the country are found, and are usually eaten raw, or cooked much in the same way as we do oysters.
The supply of game is both abundant and good. The Italians, like ourselves, are very fond of pheasants, partridges, grouse, woodcock, etc., but they have also a great weakness for small birds, a taste probably hand d down from remote ages.
The kid, as in France, is very popular; it is dressed like lamb, the brains, sweetbread and tongue all constituting delicate dishes.
Of fruit and vegetables there is an abundance. Grapes, peaches, apricots, etc., may be had at a trifling cost, but although freshly gathered, they possess little flavour, probably because they ripen more rapidly than English-grown fruit.
Typical Italian Dishes
3711.—ARTICHOKES "ALLA MILANAISE." (Fr.—Artichauts à la Milanaise.)
Ingredients.—Globe artichokes, Parmesan cheese, butter.
Method.—Remove the stalks and hard leaves, place the artichokes in slightly salted boiling water, boil gently until half cooked, and drain them well. Arrange them in a single layer in a fireproof baking-dish, pour over them some oiled butter, sprinkle liberally with grated cheese, and cover closely. Cook very gently in the oven until done, then serve with oiled butter, or any suitable sauce.
Time.—About 1 hour. Average Cost, 4d. to 6d. each. Sufficient, allow 1 to each person. Seasonable from January to April.
3712.—ASPARAGUS "ALLA CASALINGA."
Ingredients.—Asparagus, fresh eggs, butter, grated Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
Method.—Wipe, wash and trim the asparagus, boil it gently until three-quarters cooked, and drain well. When ready, place it in an earthenware dish, pour over it 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of oiled butter, and sprinkle thickly with grated Parmesan cheese. Season with a little salt and pepper, and cook in a moderately hot oven until well browned. Meanwhile, separate the yolks of eggs from the whites, taking care to keep them whole, and fry them in hot butter, drain free from fat, place them round the asparagus, and serve.
Time.—About 45 minutes. Average Cost, asparagus 4s. to 10s. per 100. Sufficient, allow 1 egg and 10 heads of asparagus to each person. Seasonable from January to July.
3713.—AUBERGINE "AL FORNO."
Ingredients.—2 aubergines (egg-plant), butter, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.
DINNER TABLE À LA RUSSE.
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Method.—Boil the aubergine from 25 to 30 minutes, or until tender, then halve them lengthwise and remove the pulp carefully, so as not to break the skin. Pass the pulp through a fine sieve, season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in a little oiled butter. Replace in the skins, sprinkle lightly with breadcrumbs, add a few bits of butter, and bake in a moderate oven until nicely browned.
Time.—About 1 hour. Average Cost, 4d. each. Sufficient for 4 persons. Seasonable from July to October.
3714.—BROAD BEANS "ALLA ROMANA."
Ingredients.—1 quart of young shelled broad beans, 4 or 5 tomatoes or ½ a tin of tomato purée, 1 small onion finely-chopped, 4 or 5 sage leaves finely-chopped, 2 ozs. of butter, salt and pepper.
Method.—Fry the onion and sage leaves in hot butter for a few minutes, then put in the beans with just sufficient boiling water to cover them, add a little salt and pepper, and cook gently until tender. When about half cooked add the tomato purée, fresh tomatoes being passed through a fine sieve to reduce them to a pulp, and stir frequently towards the end of the cooking process, to prevent the beans sticking to the bottom of the pan. Dish up and serve hot.
Time.—About ½ an hour. Average Cost, 1s. 1d. to 1s. 6d. Sufficient for 6 persons. Seasonable, July to August.
3715.—BROCCOLI "ALLA PARMIGIANA."
Ingredients.—Broccoli, 1 small onion finely-chopped, 4 ozs. of grated Parmesan cheese, ½ an oz. of butter, ½ a pint of white sauce (see Sauces, No. 221), 1 yolk of egg, breadcrumbs, cayenne, pepper and salt.
Method—Boil the broccoli in salted water until tender, then drain them well. Fry the onion in the butter without browning, add the white sauce when boiling stir in ½ the cheese and the yolk of egg. Season to the with cayenne, pepper and salt, and stir over the fire for a few minutes. Spread a little of the sauce on the bottom of a fireproof baking-dish, arrange the broccoli compactly on the top of it, cover with the remaining sauce, sprinkle on the rest of the cheese mixed with a few white breadcrumbs, and bake in a moderate oven until lightly browned.
Time.—40 to 60 minutes. Average Cost, 10d. to 1s. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons. Seasonable, October to March.
3716.—BRUSSELS SPROUTS "AL SIMONE." (Fr.—Choux de Bruxelles.)
Ingredients.—1½ to 2 lbs. of sprouts, 3 ozs. of butter, 1½ ozs. of flour, ½ a pint of stock or milk, 2 tablespoonfuls of lemon juice, 1 dessertspoonful of grated Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
Method.—Trim and wash the sprouts, boil them in salted water until tender, and drain well. Heat the butter in a stewpan, fry the flour for a few minutes without browning, then add the stock and stir until boiling. Season to taste with salt and pepper, add the cheese and lemon juice, put in the sprouts, and shake over the fire until thoroughly hot.
Time.—20 to 25 minutes. Average Cost, 10d. to 1s. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons. Seasonable, September to February.
3717.—CABBAGE "AL FORNO."
Ingredients.—1 large or 2 small cabbages, ½ a pint of white sauce (see Sauces, No. 221), 1 or 2 tablespoonfuls of grated cheese, breadcrumbs, butter, salt and pepper.
Method.—Boil the cabbage until tender, then chop it coarsely. Place a layer at the bottom of a fireproof baking-dish, cover lightly with white sauce, sprinkle liberally with cheese, and season rather highly with salt and pepper. Repeat until the dish is full, cover the top with a thin layer of breadcrumbs, and add a few bits of butter. Bake in a moderate oven for an hour. Dish up and serve hot.
Time.—1 to 1¼ hours. Average Cost, 1s. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons. Seasonable at any time.
3718.—CABBAGE "FARCITO ALL' AMERICANA."
Ingredients.—1 large fresh cabbage, ½ a lb. of cooked rice, ½ a lb. of finely-chopped cooked meat, 1 teaspoonful of finely-chopped parsley, a teaspoonful of powdered mixed herbs, of a teaspoonful of finely-grated lemon-rind, salt and pepper, ½ a pint of brown sauce (see Sauces, No 233).
Method.—Thoroughly wash the cabbage, put it into a saucepan of boiling salted water, boil for 15 minutes, then change the water, and continue to boil for about ½ an hour longer. Mix the boiled rice and prepared meat together, add the parsley, herbs, lemon-rind and a good seasoning of salt and pepper, and mix well, moistening with a little stock or milk if necessary. Dry the cabbage thoroughly, open the leaves, and press a little of the preparation into each space. Enclose the stuffed cabbage in a large sheet of greased paper, and bake in a moderate oven from 35 to 45 minutes, basting from tune to time with hot fat. Serve with brown sauce.
Time.—About 1½ hours. Average Cost, 1s. 6d. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons. Seasonable at any time.
3719.—CAULIFLOWER "IN STUFATO." (Fr.—Choufleur farci.)
Ingredients.—1 large or 2 small cauliflowers, 6 finely-chopped mushrooms, 2 ozs. of butter, 1 oz. of flour, 3 yolks of eggs, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, ¾ of a pint of stock or milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper, rounds of buttered toast.
Method.—Break the cauliflower into medium-sized sprays, boil them in salted water until tender, and drain well. Meanwhile heat the butter in a stewpan, fry the flour for 3 or 4 minutes, then add the stock or milk, and stir until boiling. Season to taste with nutmeg, salt and pepper, add the mushrooms, and simmer gently for a few minutes. Beat the yolks of eggs slightly, add the strained lemon-juice, mix with the contents of the stewpan, and stir by the side of the fire until the sauce thickens, but do not allow it to reboil, or the eggs may curdle. Arrange the sprays of cauliflower compactly on the prepared toast, pour the sauce over, and serve.
Time.—About ½ an hour. Average Cost, 1s. 4d. to 1s. 6d. Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. Seasonable, March to November.
3720.—CELERY "AL FRITTO." (Fr.—Céleri frit.)
Ingredients.—1 head of celery, egg and breadcrumbs, frying-fat.
Method.—Remove the outer stalks, wash the remainder of the celery and cut it into pieces about 1 inch square. Place in boiling salted water, cook for ½ an hour, then drain well. Coat carefully with egg and breadcrumbs, fry in hot fat until lightly browned, drain well, and serve.
Time.—About 40 minutes. Average Cost, 5d. to 6d. Sufficient for 2 or 3 persons. Seasonable, September to February.
3721.—CELERY "ALLA PARMIGIANA." (Fr.—Céleri au Fromage.)
Ingredients.—4 heads of celery, stock, grated Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, butter, salt and pepper.
Method.—Remove the outer stalks and the green part of the inner ones, divide each head into quarters, and wash them well. Cover with boiling stock, or failing this, boiling water and a little ham or lean bacon, season to taste, boil until tender, and drain well. Place a single layer of celery at the bottom of a fireproof baking-dish, sprinkle liberally with cheese, add a little seasoning, and repeat until the dish is full. Sprinkle the surface thickly with equal parts of cheese and breadcrumbs, and pour over 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of oiled butter. Bake in a moderate oven until well browned, then serve.
Time.—About 1 hour. Average Cost, celery 3d. per head. Sufficient for 8 or 10 persons. Seasonable, September to February.
3722.—COD, ALLA NAPOLETANA. (Fr.—Cabillaud à la Napolitaine.)
Ingredients.—6 slices of small cod, 4 ozs. of butter, 12 button mushrooms, preferably fresh ones, a bouquet of mixed herbs, ¼ of a pint of Marsala. For the sauce: 2 ozs. of finely-chopped raw ham, ¾ of an oz. of butter, 2 shallots finely-chopped, 4 button mushrooms finely-chopped, 1 clove, 1 bay-leaf, ¼ of a pint of Marsala, ¼ of a pint of good stock, ¼ of a pint of brown sauce, ¼ of a pint of tomato sauce (see Sauces, Nos. 233 and 282).
Method.—Let the slices of cod lie in salt and water for 1 hour, then drain and dry well. Heat the butter in a large stewpan, fry the cod until lightly browned on both sides, add the 12 mushrooms, the herbs, and the ¼ of a pint of Marsala, cover, and cook gently from 15 to 20 minutes, or until the fish is sufficiently cooked. Meanwhile, fry the ham, shallots and mushrooms in ¾ of an oz. of butter slowly for 10 minutes, then add the Marsala, stock, clove and bay-leaf, and boil rapidly. When reduced to about half the original quantity add the brown and tomato sauces, make thoroughly hot, then strain and serve in a sauce-boat. Dish up the fish and serve with the sauce.
Time.—About 2 hours. Average Cost, 4s. to 4s. 6d. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons. Seasonable from September to February.
3723.—CROQUETTES OF CHESTNUTS. (Fr.—Croquettes de Marrons.)
Ingredients.—1 lb. of chestnuts, ¼ of a pint of cream, ¼ of a pint of crème patisserie (see No. 1738), essence of vanilla, castor sugar, egg and breadcrumbs, frying-fat.
Method.—Peel and scald the chestnuts, take off the inside peel, boil them until tender, and pass through a sieve. Put the chestnut purée into a small stewpan, stir in the cream and crème patisserie, mix well over the fire, then add vanilla essence to taste, and turn the preparation on a plate to cool. When firm enough to handle, form into cork-shaped croquettes, coat carefully with egg and breadcrumbs, and fry in hot fat. Drain well, and serve sprinkled with castor sugar.
Time.—About 1½ hours. Average Cost, 1s. 3d. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons. Seasonable at any time.
3724.—CUCUMBERS "FARCITI." (Fr.—Concombres ferais.)
Ingredients.—2 medium-sized cucumbers, 2 tablespoonfuls of finely-chopped cooked chicken or veal, 1 tablespoonful of finely-chopped cooked ham, 1 tablespoonful of breadcrumbs, 1 egg, salt and pepper, brown breadcrumbs, stock, brown sauce (see Sauces, No. 233).
Method.—Remove the peel as thinly as possible, divide the cucumbers in halves, and scoop out the seeds. Mix the meat, ham, breadcrumbs and a little salt and pepper well together, moisten with 1 egg, and fill the cavities of the cucumbers with the preparation, piling it rather high in the centre. Sprinkle thickly with brown breadcrumbs, place them in a baking-tin, surround them to half their depth with stock, and bake until tender, adding more stock from time to time. Serve with brown sauce.
Time.—About 1 hour. Average Cost, 2s. to 2s. 3d. Sufficient, 6 to 8 persons. Seasonable, May to September.
3725.—FRENCH BEANS "ALLA CREMA." (Fr.—Haricots verts à la Crême.)
Ingredients.—2 lbs. of French beans, 2 ozs. of butter, 1 egg, ¼ of a pint of cream or milk, 1 dessertspoonful of lemon-juice, grated cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Method.—String the beans, cover them with boiling slightly-salted water, boil until three-quarters cooked, and drain well. Heat the butter in a stewpan, add the beans and let them cook slowly until done, shaking frequently meanwhile. Beat the egg, stir in about 1 dessertspoonful of cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste, and the lemon-juice. Stir or shake over the fire for a few minutes, then serve.
Time.—20 to 30 minutes. Average Cost, beans 6d. per lb. Sufficient for 6 persons. Seasonable, July to October.
3726.—HARICOT BEANS "ALLA MILANESE." (Fr.—Haricots à la Milanaise.)
Ingredients.—1 quart of green haricot beans, 3 ozs. of butter, 1 dessertspoonful of finely-chopped parsley, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, salt and pepper.
Method.—Boil the beans in salted water until tender, and drain them well. Heat the butter in a stewpan, add the parsley, lemon-juice and a good seasoning of salt and pepper, put in the beans, and shake them over the fire until thoroughly hot. Dried beans may be used instead of fresh ones, in which case they must be soaked for at least 12 hours.
Time.—30 to 40 minutes. Average Cost, 1s. 3d. to 1s. 6d. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons. Seasonable, May to August.
3727.—HARICOT BEANS "ALLA ROMANA." (Fr.—Haricots blancs à la Romaine.)
Ingredients.—1 quart of small dried haricot beans, 3 ozs. of butter, 1 tablespoonful of finely-chopped lean ham or bacon, either raw or cooked, 1 large onion cut into small dice, ¼ of a pint of stock or milk, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Method.—Soak the beans for at least 12 hours, cook them in salted water until tender, then drain well. Heat the butter in a stewpan, fry the onion until lightly browned, then add the ham or bacon, and cook for 2 or 3 minutes longer. Now put in the stock or milk, add a good pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the beans. Shake over the fire until thoroughly hot, then serve.
Time.—From 1 to 1¼ hours. Average Cost, 1s. to 1s. 2d. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons. Seasonable, May to August.
3728.—ITALIAN MACARONI PIE.
Ingredients.—¾ of a lb. of cold beef, or mutton, ½ an onion, 3 or 4 tomatoes, ¼ of a lb. of macaroni, breadcrumbs, grated cheese, stock, salt, pepper, nutmeg.
Method.—Cut the beef or mutton into thin slices, peel the onion and slice it thinly, slice the tomatoes, and boil the macaroni in slightly salted water until tender. Cool and drain the macaroni, and cut it up into small pieces. Line a buttered baking dish with macaroni and arrange the meat, onion and tomato slices in layers on the baking dish. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, pour over a little stock, and cover the top with macaroni. Sprinkle over some breadcrumbs and grated cheese, and bake for about 20 minutes in a hot oven.
Time.—To bake, 20 minutes. Average Cost, 2s. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons. Seasonable at any time.
3729.—LARKS IN ONIONS. (Fr.—Mauviettes aux Oignons.)
Ingredients.—12 larks, 6 Spanish onions of equal size, ½ lb. of veal forcemeat (see Forcemeats, No. 413), 2 or 3 fowls' livers, 3 or 4 slices of bacon, 1 pint of stock (about), ¼ of a teaspoonful of powdered mixed herbs, salt and pepper, brown sauce (see Sauces, No. 233), glaze.
Method.—Blanch the fowls' livers, chop them finely, add the herbs, season to taste with salt and pepper, and moisten with a little stock. Clean and bone the larks, and stuff them with the prepared forcemeat. Cover the bottom of a stewpan with slices of bacon, place the larks on them, just cover with stock, and cook gently for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile peel and blanch the onions, dry them thoroughly, and cut them in halves across. Remove the greater part of the inside, spread a good layer of the forcemeat, and place 1 lark in each case thus prepared. Cover with a buttered paper, and bake in a moderate oven for about ½ an hour, then glaze and serve with brown sauce.
Time.—About 1½ hours. Average Cost, 4s. 6d. to 5s. 6d. Sufficient for 10 or 12 persons. Seasonable at any time.
3730.—LEEKS "AL FORNO." (Fr.—Poireaux.)
Ingredients.—From 12 to 18 leeks, 2 ozs. of butter, 1 dessertspoonful of grated cheese, 1 yolk of egg, ½ a pint of hot white sauce (see Sauces), salt and pepper.
Method.—Trim the leeks, divide them into pieces about 2 inches long, and let them remain in cold water for 1 hour. Have ready a saucepan of salted boiling water, cook the leeks until tender, and again immerse them in cold water. Let them remain for at least 1 hour, then drain and dry thoroughly, and place them in an earthenware baking-dish. Heat the butter in a stewpan, drain and add the leeks, cook gently for 10 minutes, then add the hot white sauce, cheese, yolk of egg, and a good seasoning of salt and pepper. Mix well, pour over the leeks, and bake in a moderate oven until brown.
Time.—3½ hours. Average Cost, 1s. 9d. to 2s. 3d. Sufficient for 6 to 9 persons, Seasonable at any time.
3731.—LETTUCE SOUP. (Fr.—Soupe aux Laitues.)
Ingredients.—3 pints of stock, 1 or 2 heads of lettuce, according to size, 2 tablespoonfuls of rice, 1 dessertspoonful of grated Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
Method.—Remove the outer leaves, separate the rest, wash them well, and shred them finely. Wash the rice, put it into the stock when boiling, and season to taste. Boil gently for 10 minutes, then add the prepared lettuce gradually, so as not to reduce the temperature of the stock below boiling point, and continue to cook slowly for 20 minutes longer. Add the cheese, and serve.
Time.—About ½ an hour. Average Cost, 4d., exclusive of the stock. Sufficient for 5 or 6 perons. Seasonable at any time.
3732.—LOMBARD SOUP. (Zuppa Lombarda.) (Fr.—Potage à la Lombardoise.)
Ingredients.—2 ozs. of finely-chopped suet, 2 ozs. of fowl's liver, 2 ozs. of lamb's sweetbread, 2 ozs. of mushrooms, 1 teaspoonful of finely-chopped truffle, 1 egg, spinach purée, lobster spawn, 2 tablespoonfuls of cooked tips of asparagus, 2 tablespoonfuls of cooked green peas, 2 quarts of boiling consommé, salt and pepper.
Method.—Pound the liver, suet, sweetbread, and mushrooms until smooth, adding the egg gradually, season to taste, and pass through a sieve. Add the truffle, divide the forcemeat into 3 equal portions, add a little lobster spawn to one, colour the second green with spinach purée, and leave the third plain. Form into small quenelles, and poach in a little boiling stock until firm. Drain and place in a soup tureen, put in the asparagus tips and the peas, pour in the consommé, and serve.
Time.—¾ of an hour. Average Cost, 2s. to 2s. 6d., exclusive of the consommé. Sufficient for 10 or 12 persons. Seasonable at any time.
3733.—MACARONI "AL LATTE." (Fr.—Macaroni au Fromage.)
Ingredients.—¾ of a lb. of macaroni, 3½ ozs. of butter, ½ an oz. of flour, 1½ ozs. of grated Parmesan cheese, 1 oz. of grated Gruyère cheese, 1¼ pints of milk, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.
Method.—Parboil the macaroni in salted water, then drain it well. Melt 2 ozs. of butter in a stewpan, stir and cook the flour for 3 or 4 minutes, add the milk, and stir until boiling. Season to taste, put in the Gruyère cheese and macaroni, cook gently until the milk is nearly absorbed, then stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and the remaining butter. Turn into a well-buttered baking-dish, cover lightly with breadcrumbs, add a few bits of butter, and bake in a moderate oven until nicely browned.
Time.—About 45 minutes. Average Cost, 1s. to 1s. 3d. Sufficient for 4 or 3 persons. Seasonable at any time.
3734.—MACARONI "ALLA NAPOLETANA." (Fr.—Macaroni à la Napolitaine.)
Ingredients.—¾ of a lb. of macaroni, ¼ of a lb. of grated Parmesan cheese, ½ an oz. of tongue shredded, 6 mushrooms shredded, 2 truffles shredded, ½ a pint of tomato sauce, ½ a pint of white sauce (see Sauces, Nos. 282 and 222).
Method.—Boil the macaroni in salted water until tender, and drain it well. Place it in a stewpan with the white and tomato sauces, add the prepared cheese, truffles and mushrooms, shake over the fire for about 10 minutes, then serve.
Time.—About ½ an hour. Average Cost, 2s. 6d. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons. Seasonable at any time.
3735.—PEAS "ALL' ANTICA." (Fr.—Pois aux Laitues.)
Ingredients.—1 quart of young shelled peas, 1 head of crisp lettuce, 4 ozs. of butter, 1 yolk of egg, ½ a pint of water, ¼ of a pint of cream or milk, castor sugar, salt.
Method.—Wash and tie up the lettuce, put it into a stewpan with the peas, butter, water and a little salt, cook from 15 to 20 minutes, or until the peas are tender, then remove the lettuce and keep it hot. Mix the yolk of egg and cream together, add the preparation to the contents of the stewpan, season to taste with salt and pepper, and put in a good pinch of sugar. Stir over the fire for 2 or 3 minutes, then pour over the lettuce, and serve.
Time.—About ½ an hour. Average Cost, 1s. 9d. to 2s. 6d, Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons. Seasonable, August to September.
3736.—PEAS "AL BUON GUSTO." (Fr.—Petits Pois au Beurre.)
Ingredients.—1 quart of shelled peas, 1½ ozs. of butter, ½ an oz. of flour, 3 slices of onion, ¼ of a pint of stock, salt and pepper.
Method.—Parboil the peas in salted water, and drain them well. Fry the slices of onion in the butter until brown, then take them out and stir in the flour. Cook gently for 3 or 4 minutes, then put in the peas, add a seasoning of salt and pepper, and stir gently for about 10 minutes. Add the stock, cover closely, and let the pan stand by the side of the fire until the peas are tender, stirring occasionally, but very gently, as the peas should be kept whole.
Time.—30 to 40 minutes. Average Cost, 1s. 3d. to 2s. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons. Seasonable, August to September.
3737.—PHEASANT ALLA NAPOLETANA. (Fr.—Faisan à la Napolitaine.)
Ingredients.—1 pheasant, larding bacon, 8 ozs. of macaroni, 6 ozs. of grated Parmesan cheese, 2 ozs. of butter, 2 tablespoonfuls of tomato purée, ½ a pint of good gravy (see Gravies), Napolitana sauce (see Cod, alla Napoletana, No. 3722), salt and pepper.
Method.—Parboil the macaroni, drain it well, replace it in the stewpan with the butter and gravy, and cook slowly until tender. Season to taste, add the tomato purée and cheese, and make thoroughly hot. Meanwhile lard the breast of the pheasant in close rows, roast it in front of the fire from ¾ to 1¼ hours, according to size, then divide it into neat joints. Turn the macaroni on to a hot dish, arrange the pheasant on the top of it, and serve the sauce separately.
Time.—To cook, from ¾ to 1¼ hours. Average Cost, pheasant, from 3s. 6d. Sufficient, 4 to 6 persons. Seasonable, October to February.
3738.—POLENTA "ALLA BOLOGNA."
Ingredients.—3 or 4 sausages, 1 lb. of Indian corn meal, 1 pint of boiling water, ¼ of a pint of tomato purée, grated Parmesan cheese, butter, salt and pepper, breadcrumbs.
Method.—Stir the polenta gradually into the boiling water, add salt to taste, stir until smooth, and let it cool. Put the sausages into boiling water, cook them for 10 minutes, and when cool, remove the skins and cut them into slices. Place a layer of polenta at the bottom of a fireproof baking-dish, cover with a layer of sausages, add a little tomato purée, a good sprinkling of cheese, and a seasoning of salt and pepper. Repeat until the dish is full, cover lightly with breadcrumbs, add a few bits of butter, bake in a moderate oven for about an hour, and serve hot.
Time.—From 50 to 60 minutes. Average Cost, 1s. to 1s. 3d. Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. Seasonable at any time.
3739.—POLENTA "ALLA PARMIGIANA."
Ingredients.—1 lb. of Indian corn meal, 1 pint of boiling water, grated Parmesan cheese, oiled butter, salt.
Method.—Stir the meal, a little at a time, into the boiling water, add salt to taste, cook over the fire until perfectly smooth, then spread on a dish in a layer about ½ an inch thick. When quite cold cut into strips or small squares, pile in layers on a buttered baking-dish, sprinkle each layer liberally with cheese, pour 2 or 3 tablespoonfuls of oiled butter over the whole, and bake for about ½ an hour in a moderate oven. Serve hot.
Time.—About 2 hours. Average Cost, 6d. to 9d. Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. Seasonable at any time.
3740.—POLENLINA "ALLA VENEZIANA."
Ingredients.—2 tablespoonfuls of Indian corn meal, 3 ozs. of butter, 2½ pints of milk, salt and pepper, fried croûtons.
Method.—Mix the meal smoothly with a little cold milk, stir it into the rest of the milk when quite boiling, and continue to stir and cook for 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, stir in the butter, a small piece at a time, and serve with the fried croûtons.
Time.—About an hour. Average Cost, 10d. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons. Seasonable at any time.
3741.—PURÉE "ALLA SOUBISE." (Fr.—Purếe d'Oignons.)
Ingredients.—4 Spanish onions, a pint of haricot beans, 3 ozs. of butter, stock, nutmeg, salt and pepper, fried croûtons.
Method.—Boil the haricot beans until tender, and rub them through a fine sieve. Cut the onions into dice, fry them in butter until soft, but without browning, then pass them through a sieve. Place both onion and haricot purees in a stewpan, add a pinch of nutmeg, a seasoning of salt and pepper, and dilute gradually with stock until the desired consistency is attained. Boil gently until quite smooth, then serve with croûtons of fried bread.
Time.—About 1½ hours. Average Cost, 10d. to 1s. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons. Seasonable at any time.
3742.—RICE "ALLA CASALINGA." (Fr.—Riz au Jambon.)
Ingredients.—½ a lb. of rice, of a lb. of lean ham or bacon cut into dice, 1 oz. of butter, 1 pints of stock, of a pint of tomato purée, sausages.
Method.—Wash the rice, put it into salted boiling water, boil rapidly for 7 minutes, then strain and let it cool. Heat the butter in a stewpan, fry the ham or bacon slightly, then add the stock and bring to boiling point. Season to taste, put in the rice, cook gently until the stock is absorbed, then stir in the tomato purée, make thoroughly hot, and serve garnished with fried sausages.
Time.—About 20 minutes. Average Cost, 1s. 6d. to 1s. 9d. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons. Seasonable at any time.
3743.—RICE "ALLA TOMATO." (Fr.—Riz aux Tomates.)
Ingredients.—8 ozs. of rice, ½ a pint of tomato purée, 2 tablespoonfuls of breadcrumbs, 1 small onion finely-chopped, 2 ozs. of butter, 1 egg, 1 yolk of egg, 1 pint of milk, salt and pepper.
Method.—Wash the rice, put it into a large saucepan of salted boiling water, boil rapidly for 6 or 7 minutes, then strain. Have the milk ready boiling in a stewpan, put in the rice, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook gently until the milk is absorbed. Mix in half the butter and the egg, stir over the fire for a few minutes, then pile on a dish in the form of a circular or oval border. Smooth with a hot wet knife, brush over with yolk of egg, and brown in a moderate oven. In the meantime heat the remaining butter, fry the onion until lightly browned, add the tomato purée and breadcrumbs, and season to taste. Stir over the fire until thoroughly hot, and serve in the centre of the rice border.
Time.—About 1 hour. Average Cost, 1s. to 1s. 6d. Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. Seasonable at any time.
3744.—RISOTTO "ALLA MILANESE." (Fr.—Riz à la Milanaise.)
Ingredients.—6 ozs. of rice, 2 ozs. of butter, 1½ ozs. of grated Parmesan cheese, 1 small onion finely-chopped, 6 button mushrooms finely-chopped, 3 pints of stock, salt and pepper.
Method.—Wash, drain and thoroughly dry the rice. Heat the butter, fry the onion brown, add the rice and stir over the fire for a few minutes. Add half the stock, boil quickly for 20 minutes, then cover the pan closely and let the contents cook slowly. Add the remaining stock by degrees, and when nearly the whole of it is absorbed, stir in the cheese, and sea on to taste. Stir over the fire for a few minutes, then serve. If liked, grated cheese may be served separately.
Time.—About 1 hour. Average Cost, 8d., exclusive of the stock. Sufficient for 2 or 3 persons. Seasonable at any time.
3745.—SALAD "ALLA FRANCESE." (Fr.—Salade Française.)
Ingredients.—9 small firm tomatoes, ½ a head of celery, 2 tablespoonfuls of stiffly-whipped cream, 1 tablespoonful of tomato purée, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, a pinch of castor sugar, lettuce.
Method.—Pour boiling water over the tomatoes, let them remain for 2 minutes, then remove the skins, and scoop out the seeds. Place them on ice or in a cool place until quite cold, and meanwhile shred the celery finely, and mix with it the lemon-juice, sugar, tomato purée and cream. Fill the centre of each tomato with this preparation, piling it rather high, arrange the tomatoes on a dish on a bed of shredded lettuce, then serve.
3746.—SALAD "ALL' ITALIANA." (Fr.—Salade Italienne.)
Ingredients.—1 large carrot sliced, 1 turnip sliced, 2 large cold boiled potatoes sliced, 1 beetroot cut into strips, 1 finely-chopped shallot, ¼ of a pint of mayonnaise sauce, No. 201, or stiffly-whipped cream flavoured with lemon-juice or vinegar, watercress.
Method.—Cook the slices of carrot and turnip in a little stock until tender, drain them well, and when quite cold mix with the prepared potato and beetroot. Add the shallot, stir in the mayonnaise of cream, garnish with watercress, then serve.
Time.—From 1 to 1¼ hours. Average Cost, 9d. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons. Seasonable at any time.
3747.—SALAD "ALLA MACEDONE." (Fr.—Salade à la Macédoine.)
Ingredients.—1 cooked beetroot cut into dice, 3 tablespoonfuls of cooked French beans, 3 tablespoonfuls of cooked peas, 1 cooked carrot shredded, ½ a head of celery shredded, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, mayonnaise sauce.
Method.—Cook the vegetables separately, taking care to keep them unbroken. When quite cold mix them well together, sprinkle in the lemon-juice, stir in the mayonnaise as lightly as possible, then serve.
Time.—20 minutes. Average Cost, 1s. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons. Seasonable, July to October.
3748.—SPINACH CROQUETTES. (Fr.—Croquettes d'Épinards.)
Ingredients.—4 or 5 lbs. of spinach, 3 ozs. of butter, 2 eggs, nutmeg, salt and pepper, frying batter (see Apple Fritters, p. 979), frying-fat.
Method.—Wash and pick the spinach, put it into a saucepan with just sufficient water to prevent it burning at the bottom, and cook until tender. Drain well, chop finely, and if convenient, pass it through a sieve. Place it in a stewpan with the butter, add a good pinch of nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir over the fire until hot, then add the eggs previously beaten, and continue to stir and cook until the purée thickens. When quite cold, form the preparation into cork-shaped pieces, dip them into the prepared batter, and fry in hot fat until crisp and lightly browned. Drain well, and serve as hot as possible.
Time.—From 2½ to 3 hours. Average Cost, 1s. 3d. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons. Seasonable, March to December.
3749.—SPINACH "IN RICCIOLI." (Fr.—Rissolettes d'Épinards.)
Ingredients.—3 eggs, spinach purée (see Spinach Croquettes, No. 3748 ), olive-oil, butter, grated Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
Method.—Beat the eggs well, mix with them enough spinach to make them green, and season to taste. Heat a little oil in a small frying-pan, cover the bottom with a very thin layer of the egg preparation, fry lightly, then toss or turn and cook the other side. Repeat, and when all is fried, place the pancakes one above the other, and cut them into sections or wide strips. Fry them lightly in hot butter, and sprinkled with cheese.
Time.—½ an hour. Average Cost, 1s. 6d. Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons. Seasonable, March to December.
3750.—SPINACH PUDDING (Fr.—Pouding aux 'Épinards.)
Ingredients.—2 lbs. of spinach, ½ a lb. of veal forcemeat, 2 ozs. of butter, 3 yolks of eggs, ¼ of a pint of Béchamel sauce. No. 177, salt and pepper, brown sauce (see Sauces, No. 233).
Method.—Pick and wash the spinach, boil until tender in a saucepan with just sufficient water at the bottom to prevent it burning, then chop finely, and pass through a sieve. Heat the butter in a stewpan, add the spinach purée, yolks of eggs and Béchamel sauce, and season to taste. Stir over the fire until the mixture thickens slightly, then let it cool, and add the forcemeat. Turn into a well-buttered mould, cover with a buttered paper, and steam gently from 35 to 45 minutes. Unmould, and serve with good brown sauce.
Time.—About 1½ hours. Average Cost, 1s. 9d. to 2s. 3d. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons. Seasonable, March to December.
3751.—SPINACH SOUFFLÉ. (Fr.—Soufflé d'Épinard.)
Ingredients.—½ a pint of spinach purée, 3 whites of eggs, 2 yolks of eggs, salt and pepper.
Method.—Prepare the purée as directed in the recipe for Spinach Croquettes, No. 3748. After passing through the sieve, place it in a small stewpan, season to taste, then add the yolks of eggs, and stir over the fire until the purée thickens. Let it become quite cold, add the whites of eggs stiffly-whisked, stir them in as lightly as possible, and half fill china or paper ramakin cases with the preparation. Bake in a hot oven until set, then serve as quickly as possible.
Time.—To bake, about 10 minutes. Average Cost, 8d. Sufficient for 6 or 8 ramakins. Seasonable, March to December.
3752.—TOMATOES "ALL' INDIANA." (Fr.—Tomates à l'Indienne.)
Ingredients.—10 ozs. of rice, ¾ of a pint of tomato purée (either tinned or made by passing tomatoes through a fine sieve), breadcrumbs, butter, salt and pepper.
Method.—Wash the rice, put it into a large saucepan of salted boiling water, boil rapidly for 10 minutes, then drain well. Put a layer of rice at the bottom of a well-buttered baking-dish, cover with tomato purée, and season with salt and pepper. Repeat the layers, cover the surface rather thickly with breadcrumbs, and add a few bits of butter. Bake in a moderate oven for 40 minutes, and serve in the dish.
Time.—About 1 hour. Average Cost, 1s. to 1s. 3d. Sufficient for 4 or 5 persons. Seasonable at any time.
3753.—TOMATOES "AL PANE." (Fr.—Baked Tomates.)
Ingredients.—6 or 8 firm tomatoes, breadcrumbs, butter, salt and pepper.
Method.—Slice the tomatoes rather thickly, place them in a fireproof dish with alternate layers of breadcrumbs, each layer being liberally seasoned with salt and pepper, and the breadcrumbs well moistened with oiled butter. Let the top layer consist of breadcrumbs moistened with butter. Bake in a moderately hot oven from 35 to 40 minutes, and serve in the dish.
Time.—About 1 hour. Average Cost, 1s. Sufficient for 3 or 4 persons. Seasonable at any time.
3754.—TOMATOES "CON NOVA." (Fr.—Tomates au, Fromage.)
Ingredients.—4 firm tomatoes, an equal number of fresh eggs, cooked spaghetti, white sauce, grated Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
Method.—Cut off the tops of the tomatoes, scoop out the greater part of the pulp, season well with salt and pepper, and break 1 egg into each. Replace the tops, place the tomatoes in a baking-dish, and cook gently until the eggs are set. Heat the white sauce, add the cooked spaghetti, cheese, salt and pepper to taste, and make thoroughly hot. Place the spaghetti in a hot dish, dish the tomatoes on the top, then serve.
Time.—About 20 minutes. Average Cost, 1s. 4d. Sufficient for 4 persons. Seasonable at any time.
3755.—TURBOT "ALL' ITALIANA." (Fr.—Turbot à l'Italienne.)
Ingredients.—1 medium-sized turbot, button mushrooms cooked and glazed, prawns, truffles, 1 pint of Allemande sauce (see Sauces, No. 174), 2 tablespoonfuls of purée of tomatoes, 1 teaspoonful of finely-chopped parsley, 1 dessertspoonful of lemon-juice, butter, salt and pepper.
Method.—Let the turbot lie for 1 hour in salt and water, then rub the white side with cut lemon, put it in a pan with seasoned water, and cook gently till done. Make the Allemande sauce as directed, add the tomato purée, parsley and lemon-juice, and stir in a few bits of butter just before serving. When ready, drain the fish well, serve garnished with mushrooms, prawns and slices of truffle, and hand the sauce separately.
Time.—From 35 to 45 minutes. Average Cost, 1s. 6d. per lb. Sufficient for 12 persons Seasonable at any time.
3756.—TURKEY "ALLA MILANESE." (Fr.—Dinde à la Milanaise.)
Ingredients.—1 turkey, ½ a lb. of sausages, ½ a pint of chestnuts boiled and peeled, 8 French prunes scalded, halved and the stones removed, 4 pears pared and quartered, 1 glass of white wine, slices of bacon, butter, pepper and salt.
Method.—Parboil the sausages, and when cool remove the skins and cut into slices. Heat from 1½ to 2 ozs. of butter in a stewpan, put in the chestnuts, prunes and pears, and add the liver of the turkey, previously blanched and coarsely chopped. Fry gently for a few minutes, then drain well from the butter, add the wine, and stuff the breast of the turkey with this preparation. Cover the breast with slices of hot bacon, baste well with hot butter or fat, and cook in a moderate oven for about 2 hours, basting frequently.
Time.—To cook, from 1½ to 2 hours. Average Cost, Turkey, from 6s. 6d. Sufficient, a small turkey, 8 persons. Seasonable from September to February.
3757.—VENETIAN SOUP. (Brodetto Veneziano.)
This is a rich beef broth, mixed with beaten yolks of eggs, lemon-juice and served with thinly cut slices of French rolls, previously baked.