The European cookbook for American homes (from Italy, Spain, Portugal and France)

!4 cup granulated sugar 3 eggs Grated rind of l/2 orange Pinch of salt Puff paste Bring milk, butter, sugar and orange rind to a boil. Add flour, stirring constantly for 2 or 3 minutes. Remove from fire, add well-drained cheese, and the eggs, one at a time. Add salt. Roll puff paste about % inch thick, cut out 2-inch rounds and place on a baking sheet 1 inch apart. Put in center of each a spoonful of mixture, moisten edges and turn over in shape of a three-cornered hat. Brush with beaten egg and bake to a delicate brown in a hot oven (400°F.). Dust with sugar and serve hot or cold. These tartlets may also be filled with frangi- Pam* APPLE TART OF ARTOIS (Pommes a VArtois) Yi pound puff paste Currant jelly Apple marmalade i egg yolk, beaten Powdered sugar Roll out l/2 of paste into a thin square sheet. Spread marmalade with a little jelly over it l/2 inch thick and Yi inch from edge. Roll out remaining half into a sheet the same size. Hold it on the rolling pin and lay over marmalade; wet edge of lower sheet and press the two edges together. Brush with egg yolk, beaten with a little water. Make a few lengthwise incisions with sharp knife in top crust, and powder with sugar. Put on a baking sheet and bake about 30 minutes in a moderately hot oven (350°F.). SHORT PASTE FOR PIES (Pate Brisee) 1Y2 cups flour Yi cup butter Yi teaspoon salt Yi cup ice water Sift flour with salt, work butter in lightly with fingertips, add ice water and mix thoroughly, pat into loaf, wrap in wax paper and chill 1 hour or more in refrigerator before using. GRAPE TART (Tarte a la F ontainebleau) Prepare and bake a pie shell, baste with thick sugar syrup and dry in warming oven. Cover a pound of white grapes with 1Y2 cups powdered sugar and 4 tablespoons of sweet white wine. Toss a little and allow sugar to melt to a syrup. Fill crust and serve. STRAWBERRY TART (Tarte aux F raises) Pour a cup of thick sugar syrup over a cup of strawberries and allow to stand 2 hours. Prepare and bake a pastry shell; brush it well with sugar syrup and dry in the warming oven; cool; fill with a layer of large ripe strawberries and strain the strawberry syrup over them. WONDERS (Merveilles) 2 cups butter 1 teaspoon soda 2 cups granulated sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 6 eggs, beaten well 3% cups sifted cake flour Yi cup milk 54 CUP powdered sugar Cream butter and sugar, stir in eggs, add milk, soda and cinnamon, stir thoroughly and work in flour to a smooth dough. Roll out into thin sheets cut into narrow strips, twist into fancy shapes, and drop into deep boiling fat. When a rich mahogany color, remove, drain on brown paper, and dust with powdered sugar. 5 FRITTER BATTER (Pate a Frire) 1 cup boiling water 1 tablespoon brandy 1 teaspoon olive oil 3 egg yolks, beaten 1 cup flour Y& teaspoon salt 3 egg whites beaten to a stiff froth Pour boiling water into a basin and beat into it the oil, flour, brandy and beaten egg yolks, being careful that no lumps form; add beaten whites last. A little more water may be added if necessary. The batter must be of the proper consistency to coat fruit when immersed in it. FRITTERS BLENDED (Beignets a la Alliance) 4 apples Peach marmalade 4 tablespoons of sugar 20 peach halves Yi cup brandy Powdered sugar