Select three or four kinds of vegetables. Shred or chop coarsely cabbage or greens, and slice or cut in cubes the root vegetables. Put them over the fire with a small quantity of cooking oil or butter substitute, and let them fry until they have absorbed the fat. Then add broth and cook until the vegetables are very tender. Fry croutons of stale bread in oil and serve them in the soup.
In this, as in other recipes, water may be used instead of broth if the latter is not available, and bouillon cubes or beef extract added just as the hot soup is removed from the fire.
SOUP WITH LITTLE HATS
Cappelletti all' uso di Romagna
- Equal parts curds or cottage cheese and cooked meat (chicken, pork or veal)
- Grated cheese
- 1 egg
- Grated lemon peel
- Nutmeg, allspice, salt
Grind the meat very fine and make a highly seasoned mixture of it and all the other ingredients. The ground meat may be sautéed in a little butter or drippings before it is mixed with the other ingredients to improve the flavor. Cut rounds measuring about three inches in diameter from a thin sheet of paste made according to the recipe on page 20. Place a spoonful of the filling in the middle of each circle of paste. Fold over and moisten the edge of the paste with the finger dipped in water to make it stay securely closed. These cappelletti should be cooked in chicken or turkey broth until the paste is tender, and served with this broth as a soup.
This is a time-honored Christmas dainty in Italy.
MILANESE RICE
Risotto alla Milanese I
- 1 lb. rice
- A medium sized onion
- 4 tablespoons butter, or oil
- Salt
- Curry powder, ½ teaspoon
- Grated cheese