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

Y2 cup cornmeal i egg, well beaten % cup sifted bread crumbs Put milk, sugar and salt into double boiler and bring to a boil. Add cornmeal slowly, constantly stirring; then let it boil gently 20 minutes. Remove, and stir in the butter, egg yolk, and lemon rind. Turn mixture on to a dampened board and spread about Vz-mch thick. Cool, cut into rounds or squares, dip in beaten egg, and then into bread crumbs, and cook in deep hot fat. Drain, sprinkle with sugar and serve hot. CHERRY FRITTERS 1% cups flour 1 egg, well beaten Y4 teaspoon salt Fresh cherries 1 tablespoon granulated sugar Sweet butter 2 teaspoons baking powder Powdered sugar % cup milk Cinnamon Sift flour with salt, sugar and baking powder. Add milk gradually, stir to a smooth batter and add beaten egg. Select big cherries with stems, tie in small bunches at stem ends. Put a few bunches into a frying pan with enough sweet butter to fry them and drop a small amount of the batter around them. When the batter is set and nicely brown, remove fritters to a hot plate. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon; serve hot. PINE NUT TARTS {Torta col Pinoli) % teaspoon salt % cup granulated sugar i small stick cinnamon i tablespoon butter i quart milk 2 eggs, well beaten V2 cup white corn meal Pastry dough Yz cup pine nut meats 1 egg yolk Powdered sugar Combine salt, cinnamon and milk in top part of double boiler, bring to a boil and stir in corn meal slowly. Cook 2l/2 hours. Blanch pine nuts and chop coarsely. Remove cinnamon from corn meal, stir in sugar, butter, nuts and eggs. Butter a shallow pie tin (not over 1 inch deep) and line it with thinly rolled pastry. Brush with beaten egg yolk. Bake in a moderate oven (350°F.) until brown. Dust with powdered sugar and serve cold. PASTRY DOUGH Mix to a soft dough, but firm enough to roll out well, il/2 cups pastry flour, % CUP butter, % cup sugar, and 1 egg. Add Marsala wine if more liquid is required. GENOESE PASTRY (Torta di Genovese) Y* cup butter 2 egg yolks Y2 cup sifted granulated sugar 1 cup sifted pastry flour Y2 cup blanched almonds l/2 teaspoon vanilla Orange flower water Apricot jam 4 egg whites 1 teaspoon lemon juice Confectioner's sugar Cream butter, add sugar and beat until creamy; pound almonds with a little orange flower water to a paste and add to creamed mixture. Add 2 egg whites, one at a time, and egg yolks separately. Stir flour in gradually and add vanilla. Line' rim of a pie tin with a border of rich puff paste, pour in mixture, and bake in moderate oven (350° F.). Remove when done and spread a layer of apricot jam on top. Make an icing with remaining egg whites, lemon juice, and enough confectioner's sugar to thicken to the consistency of butter. Spread over pie. Serve cold. ALMOND PUDDING (Budino di Mandorle) 2 egg yolks Juice of 1 lemon 1 cup powdered sugar 1 cup almonds, grated Grated rind of 1 lemon 2 tablespoons cracker crumbs 4 egg whites Beat egg yolks to a cream with sugar, lemon rind and juice, grated almonds and cracker crumbs. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry, and fold in. Bake in a moderate oven (350°F.). Serve cold with lemon sauce. 1 cup of boiled rice may be used instead of almond meal, if desired. BLACK PUDDING (Budino Nero)