Simple Italian Cookery Part 5

Hard boil four eggs, cut them in four pieces each, put them in a platter, and pour over them the following sauce:

CREAM OF LEMON SAUCE

Take one cup of cold water, and pour one-half of it in a bowl with one tablespoon of starch, stir well until starch is dissolved. Pour the other one-half onto one heaping tablespoon of powered sugar and boil for a few moments--until sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Allow it to cool, and then add the starch, and one cup of milk, a pinch of salt, a little grated lemon-rind, and two yolks of eggs. Mix all thoroughly, then strain through a sieve, then put on the stove again, and over a moderate fire, stir it constantly, always in the same direction, until it has a.s.sumed the thickness you desire.

EGGS "ALLA SCIARMANTE"

Hard boil four eggs; cut into several pieces. Then prepare the following:

Boil down to a syrup one heaping tablespoon of sugar, rind of one-quarter of lemon, one scant cup of water, and a little piece of cinnamon. Then remove the lemon-rind and the cinnamon, and add one cup of milk or cream. When heated through, take off of fire, and add the yolks of four eggs, beating well together. Then pour the sauce over the hard-boiled eggs in a shallow baking-dish, put it in a very moderate oven, and bake. Before serving squeeze on a little lemon juice and garnish with squares of fried bread.

EGGS WITH PIQUANTE SAUCE

Chop up fine one pickled pepper, one teaspoon of capers, one-half small pickled onion and one pickle, and some parsley. Dissolve in boiling water one tablespoon of b.u.t.ter, add the juice of one-half of lemon, a pinch of flour to give a little body, and the chopped pickles. If too sour add some sugar.

Hard boil four eggs, cut them in four, and pour over them the sauce.

EGGS "ALLA MONACHILE"

Hard boil four eggs, divide them in half, and pour over them the following sauce: Put two tablespoons of vinegar into a saucepan and one tablespoon of sugar (brown or white), fifteen almonds chopped up fine, and a small piece of candied citron. Let it boil for a little while, then add a pinch of cinnamon, cloves, pepper, and salt, and if too acid add a little water.

Before taking off the stove add a little flour to give body to the sauce. Pour over the eggs and serve.

EGGS "ALLA FIORENTINA"

Hard boil four eggs. Let them cool in a bowl of cold water. Peel them and divide them in half. Take the yolks and mix with them one heaping tablespoon of b.u.t.ter, one tablespoon of Parmesan cheese grated, and a little salt and pepper. Put this mixture into a saucepan with the yolks of two raw eggs, and one-half of the white of one egg. Stir well until the mixture becomes thick. Then fill the hard-boiled whites of the eggs with the stuffing; if any stuffing remains over, spread it on the platter under the eggs. Then put one-half cup of milk in a saucepan with one-half tablespoon of b.u.t.ter and one-half tablespoon of flour, salt, and pepper. Boil for a few moments, stirring well, then pour over the eggs, sprinkle well with grated Parmesan cheese, and put in the oven and brown.

LIGHTNING OMELETTE

b.u.t.ter a baking-dish and put in the bottom of it slices of stale bread (brown bread is better than white) which have been dipped in milk.

Then put in a layer of very thin slices of Gruyere cheese. Take two eggs, beat them up to a froth, add salt and pepper, pour them into a baking-dish on top of the bread and cheese, then put it in the oven until it is browned on top. Serve hot.

EGGS "ALLA PIACENTINA"

Take the whites of four eggs, and beat until stiff. Then add the yolks and one rounded tablespoon of melted b.u.t.ter, and a little salt and pepper. Take a small baking-dish, b.u.t.ter it well, and put in the bottom a layer or two of very thin slices of cheese, Parmesan or Gruyere. Put into the oven for a few moments until thoroughly heated, then pour on the whites of eggs mixed with the other ingredients, put back in the oven, and serve when the eggs are a golden brown.

EGGS "ALLA BENEDETTINA"

Roast two small peppers, take off their skins, remove the seeds, and cut into strips. Take two tomatoes (not too ripe), boil them, remove the skins and seeds, and cut into thin strips also. Then wash two anchovies, remove the bones, and cut also into strips. Take a small baking-dish, put in the strips of peppers and tomatoes and the anchovies. Add two tablespoons of good olive-oil and put on the top of the stove until the ingredients boil. Then break into the dish four eggs, taking care to keep the yolks whole. Add salt and pepper, and put the dish into the oven until the eggs are cooked.

EGGS "ALLA ROMANA"

Beat four eggs, whites and yolks together. Add one tablespoon of milk or cream, salt and pepper, one tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese, and a little chopped-up parsley. With this make three or four omelettes about the thickness of a ten-cent piece. As the omelettes are finished lay them on a napkin to cool; then cut them transversely into strips about one-quarter of an inch wide. Then put the strips into a saucepan with some heated b.u.t.ter. Heat them through thoroughly and serve with grated cheese and the following meat sauce poured over them:

MEAT SAUCE

Chop up some ham fat with a little onion, celery, carrot, and parsley.

Add a small piece of beef and cook until beef is well colored. Then add one and one-half tablespoons of red wine (or white), cook until wine is absorbed, then add one tablespoon of tomato paste diluted with water, or four fresh tomatoes, and boil fifteen minutes.

FISH

CODFISH "ALLA GIARDINIERA"

Take one pound of salted codfish, boil it, remove the skin and bones, and shred it. Then take one good carrot, one-half a turnip, sc.r.a.pe them, cut them into slices, and boil them for a few moments. Then drain off the water, and put them into a saucepan with one and one-half tablespoons of b.u.t.ter and finish cooking them, adding from time to time a little boiling water. When the vegetables are cooked add the codfish, mix well, and serve.

CODFISH WITH EGG SAUCE

Take one pound of salt codfish. Boil it and remove the skin and bones.

Then fry lightly in b.u.t.ter, adding chopped-up parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir about constantly, and add from time to time a little boiling water, until the fish is thoroughly cooked. Then beat up the yolks of two eggs and add them with a little flour, and cook for a few moments more. Squeeze on some lemon juice and serve.

CODFISH "ALLA MARINAIA"

Take one pound of salt codfish. Boil slightly until you can remove the skin and bones. Chop up fine a piece of onion, and parsley, and fry them in a saucepan with three tablespoons of best olive-oil, then put in the codfish with salt, pepper, and a pinch of allspice. While this is cooking, put into another saucepan three tablespoons of best vinegar, two tablespoons of fish broth, and one-half bay-leaf. Add a little flour to give body to the sauce, stir well, then remove the bay-leaf, and take the saucepan off the fire. Arrange the platter with pieces of fried bread in a layer on the bottom, then the codfish, and then the sauce poured over it.

FRESH CODFISH "AL VINO BIANCO"

Remove the bones from three-quarters of a pound of fresh codfish. Cut into slices lengthwise. b.u.t.ter a baking-dish, put in the fish, put more b.u.t.ter on top of it, salt and pepper, and one-half gla.s.s of dry white wine. Cook for twenty minutes in a hot oven, then place the fish on a platter, take the juice left over in the baking-dish, put it into a saucepan, add a little flour, some more b.u.t.ter, and the juice of half a lemon. Before taking off the fire, add some chopped-up parsley, and then pour the sauce over the fish, and serve.

CODFISH WITH GREEN PEPPERS

Take one-half pound of salted codfish which has been soaked to remove the saltiness. Remove the skin and bones, and cut the codfish into small squares. Then dip it again into fresh water, and put the squares onto a napkin to dry. The fish may either be left as it is, or before proceeding, you may roll it in flour and fry it in lard or oil.

Then take two good-sized green peppers, roast them on top of the stove, remove the skins and seeds, wash them, dry them, and cut them in narrow strips. When this is done put three generous tablespoons of olive-oil into a saucepan with one onion cut up small, and fry the onion over a slow fire.

Take two big tomatoes, skin them, remove the seeds and hard parts, and cut them into small pieces. When the onion has taken a good color, add the tomatoes, and cook until they sputter, then add the peppers and a little salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thick add a little water.

When the peppers are half cooked, add some chopped-up parsley and the codfish. Cover up the saucepan and let it simmer until the fish is cooked.

This dish is also good cold.

VEGETABLES