FoodNetArchive

Practical household cookery

1891

Page 28 · 3 recipe records on this page

Presented as published in 1891. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Prepare five or six dozen ravioli in the same manner as in the previbus number. Boil them in broth for fifteen minutes, then strain and put them in a stewpan containing about a quarter of a pound of fresh mushrooms, properly trimmed and cut into slices, with a similar quantity of cooked ox- tongue cut in small dice, half a pint of white wine, a gill each of Espagnole sauce and game essence. Boil on a brisk fire ; toss the stewpan, so as to mix and wai*m the contents well together; and when the sauce is nearly reduced, add two ounces of gmted cheeseRavioli a l'Italienne, toss the whole well over the fire, and serve. 99. GNOCHETTI WITH BUTTER. Put a pint of water into a stewpan on the fire with two ounces of butter, a teajspoonful of salt, and a pinch of pepper. When the contents boil draw the stewpan away from the fire, add gradually to it half a pound of semolina or ordinary sifted flour; stir the while with a wooden spoon till it has reached the consistency of a solid paste, 6o PRACTICAL HOUSEHOLD COOKERY. then add to it the yolks of four eggs, well beaten, together with three ounces of grated cheese ; mix these well with the paste by tossing it with the wooden spoon, then whisk the whites of the four eggs, already used, to a nice snowy froth, and mix it well with the paste ; turn this out of the stcwpan, flatten it on a slab, cut it in small equal dice, and roll these into the shape of small filberts. Meanwhile boil one quart of broth, drop the balls of gnochetti in it, and let them simmer for twenty minutes, then drain and dry them. Butter the inside of an entree dish, divide two ounces of butter into small balls ; put a layer of gnochetti and sprinkle a little grated cheese, a few pieces of butter, and two tablespoonf uls of good beef gravyGnochetti with Butter over it ; continue the layers of gnochetti, butter, grated cheese, and beef gravy to the end, finishing with grated cheese on the top; then put the dish in the oven for five minutes, and serve. 100. POLENTA'' A LA PIEDMONTAISE. Boil in a saucepan three pints of broth or water, to which a dessert-spoonful of salt must be added. When the broth boils take a strong wooden spoon in your right hand, or better still, the half of a broomstick made for that purpose, which must be about eighteen inches long, and with your left hand drop gi^adually one pound of polenta flour into the saucepan on the fire ; stir the while, to prevent the flour clotting ; let it boil for half an hour, stirring the paste almost constantly to prevent burning ; after which, sprinkle three ounces of grated cheesePolenta a la Piemontaise over it ; stir the contents well^ so as to mix the cheese with the polenta, which will now be firm and detach itself from the border of the pan ; pour the lot into a dish, melt a quarter * A flour made from Indian-corn, grown on a large scale and much iiacd in Italj. PRACTICAL HOUSEHOLD COOKERY. 6i of a pound of butter in a frying-pan to a frotbj heat^ pour it over the polenta, and serve. 101. POLENTA A LA NAPOLITAINE* Prepare a "polenta" as in the previous number; when nearly cooked add two ounces of fresh butter and stir well, in order to mix the polenta with the butter. Meanwhile set a well- buttered saut^-pan on the fire, with half a dozen slices of fat bacon ; put on these a dozen small birds (such as larks, &c)., properly cleaned, and a couple of bay- leaves. Fry the birds to a nice colour, then moisten with half a pint of good broth and a glass of white wine ; season with salt and pepper to taste ; cover the saut6-pan, and simmer very gently until the birds are well cooked, basting them and turning as often as required. When the polenta is done and the birds ready, dress the former on a dish spread with grated parmesan cheese, place the birds on the top, strain the gravy over, and serve. Note, — A few .thin slices of truffles or fresh mush- rooms, cooked either in gravy or butter, will improve the "polenta."