MACARONI WITH TOMATO SAUCE
(_Maccheroni al Sugo_)
2 quarts of water
3/4 pound of macaroni
Boil the water until it makes big bubbles. Add salt, then break the
macaroni and put it in. Cover the saucepan and boil for fifteen
minutes. The saucepan should not be too small, otherwise the macaroni
will stick to the bottom.
Prepare the sauce as follows:
Take a good slice of ham fat, and chop very fine with it a piece of
onion, a piece of celery, and some parsley. Then put this into a
frying-pan and cook until the grease is colored. (If desired, add a
small lump of butter.) When well colored add two tablespoons of tomato
paste dissolved in a little hot water. Boil all together for fifteen
minutes.
Drain the macaroni, and put it into the frying-pan with the sauce, mix
well with fork and spoon over the fire, so that the macaroni will be
thoroughly seasoned, then add three tablespoons of grated Parmesan
cheese, mix again, and serve.
If no tomato paste is available make the tomato sauce as follows:
Chop up fine one-quarter of an onion, a piece of celery the length of
a finger, two or three basil-leaves, and a small bunch of parsley.
Slice seven or eight tomatoes (fresh or canned), add salt and pepper,
and put all on together to cook in four tablespoons of good olive-oil.
Stir occasionally, and when it becomes as thick as cream, strain, and
add the macaroni as before directed.
MACARONI WITH MEAT AND SAUCE
(_Maccheroni al sugo di Carne_)
Take one-half pound of beef without fat. Prepare the ham fat as in the
preceding receipt, chopped up with onion, celery, and parsley. Cut the
meat into several pieces, put it with the fat, etc., into a
frying-pan. Add salt and pepper. Cook until the meat is colored, then
add two tablespoons of wine, white or red. When the wine is absorbed
add two tablespoons of tomato paste dissolved in hot water. (Or tomato
sauce as in preceding.) Boil all together for five minutes, with cover
on the saucepan, then add one cup of boiling water, and allow it to
simmer until the meat is thoroughly cooked--about one-half an hour.
Boil and strain the macaroni as before, and pour over it the sauce
from the meat. Mix well, and serve with the meat in the middle and the
macaroni around it, with cheese (grated Parmesan) sprinkled over it.
This dish can be made with veal or mutton instead of the beef.
MACARONI WITH BUTTER AND CHEESE
(_Maccheroni al Burro_)
Boil and drain the macaroni. Take four tablespoons of table-butter,
three tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese, add to the macaroni in
the saucepan, mix well over the fire, and serve.