Take a small piece of ham fat, one-half of onion, piece of celery,
parsley, small piece of carrot. Chop up fine together. Put into a
saucepan, and when the vegetables are fried add two or three mushrooms
which have been chopped fine; after five minutes add two tablespoons
of tomato paste, thinned with five tablespoons of hot water (or equal
quantity of tomato sauce without water). When the sauce is cooked take
out the mushrooms and put them on one side.
Take one-half pound of macaroni. Boil in salted water for fifteen
minutes, drain, and add the sauce described above. Add two tablespoons
Parmesan cheese, grated, and one tablespoon of butter.
Butter well a mold, then cover with a thin layer of bread crumbs the
bottom and sides. Pour into the mold one-half the macaroni, then place
on it a layer of mushrooms which you have taken out of the sauce. Now
add the other half of the macaroni, and then another thin layer of
bread crumbs. Put the mold into the oven without turning it over, and
bake in a slow oven until well browned. Then turn out and serve.
To this timbale, if desired for variety, cold meat of any kind cut up
fine may be added to the sauce; and one egg, hard boiled, and cut into
four pieces. Add the egg, and the pieces of meat which you have
removed from the sauce, to the timbale at the same time that you add
the mushrooms.