Have ready a pot of boiling water. Throw a little salt into it, and
then by slow degrees put in a pound of the maccaroni, a little at a
time. Keep stirring it gently, and continue to do so very often while
boiling. Take care to keep it well covered with water. Have ready a
kettle of boiling water to replenish the maccaroni pot if it should be
in danger of getting too dry. In about twenty minutes it will be done.
It must be quite soft, but it must not boil long enough to break.
When the maccaroni has boiled sufficiently, pour in immediately a
little cold water, and let it stand a few minutes, keeping it covered.
Grate half a pound of Parmesan cheese into a deep dish and scatter over
it a few small bits of butter. Then with a skimmer that is perforated
with holes, commence taking up the maccaroni, (draining it well,) and
spread a layer of it over the cheese and butter. Spread over it another
layer of grated cheese and butter, and then a layer of maccaroni, and
so on till your dish is full; having a layer of maccaroni on the top,
over which spread some butter without cheese. Cover the dish, and set
it in an oven for half an hour. It will then be ready to send to table.
You may grate some nutmeg over each layer of maccaroni.
Allow half a pound of butter to a pound of maccaroni and half a pound
of cheese.