The encyclopaedia of practical cookery

Imitation Lasagna. — Prepare a rather stiff paste with flour, warm water, beaten eggs (using twice as many yolks as whites), 1 saltspoonful of salt, and a small quantity of saffron, this latter ingredient having been steeped in the warm water one hour before being used. When quite Macaroni — continued. smooth, roll out the paste to about jin. or a little less in thickness, and cut it into long strips Jin. wide. Lay the strips on a fine sieve, and keep covered with a cloth until ready to use them. They should not be kept longer than thirty-six hours, and are better if used on the day of making. Boil like ordinary Macaroni, and serve with grated Parmesan cheese and tomato sauce. Lasagna a la Neapolitaine. — Finely chop Jib. of rather fat bacon, and mix with it two chopped onions, one clove of garlic, and parsley, thyme, and basil to taste ; then mince the whole. Cut lib. of beef into small pieces, put them into a saucepan with the mince, and stir the mixture over the fire until the meat is well browned ; moisten with a small quantity of water, add a small bottle of conserve of tomatoes, and let the whole simmer gently for one hour. If too thick, add more water, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Next strain the liquor and skim off all the fat. Break lib. of flat broad Macaroni, called lasagna, into pieces about 2in. long, throw them into a large saucepan full of boiling water, add a lump of salt, and stir continually over the fire until tender, being very careful not to break the pieces. When cooked, pour over the Macaroni a jugful of cold water, then thoroughly strain it. Cover the bottom of a deep dish with 2oz. of butter broken into small pieces, put in a layer of the lasagna, over that strew grated Parmesan cheese, then put in another layer, and so on until all is used. Pour in the sauce, put a few pieces of butter on the top, and cover plentifully with grated Parmesan cheese. Put in a brisk oven for ten minutes, then, if not sufficiently browned, pass the salamander over it. Serve, while very hot, in the dish in which it was cooked. Macaroni a la Bolognese. — Break some lasagna or Macaroni into convenient lengths, and boil in salted water. Thoroughly wash sufficient spinach, using plenty of water, as it is very gritty ; plunge it into a saucepan of boiling water with a lump of salt, and boil until tender. Well drain the spinach, pass it through a fine hair sieve, and put it into a stewpan ; moisten with a small quantity of rich veal gravy, and stir it over the fire for a few minutes. When the Macaroni is cooked, drain it, arrange on a deep dish in alternate layers with the spinach, strewing plenty of grated Parmesan cheese between each layer, cover the dish, and place it in a moderately hot oven for about three-quarters-of-an-hour. When ready, serve the Macaroni very hot in the dish in which it was cooked. Macaroni a la Creme. — Boil in plenty of salted water for three-quarters-of-an-hour |lb. of Macaroni, adding Joz. of butter and one onion stuck with two cloves. Drain well, and put it back into a saucepan with Jib. each of butter, grated Gruyere cheese, and grated Parmesan cheese, J of a pinch of nutmeg, and a pinch of pepper. Moisten with J pint of white broth and 4 table-spoonfuls of cream. Cook all together for five minutes, stirring well, and when the Macaroni is soft and ropy, dish it up, and serve.