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.