Recipes from Italy

Spaghetti

1 pound ground beef or beef and pork

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 1/2 cups cooked tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 bay leaf, crumbled

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Grated Parmesan cheese (as desired)

Cook meat in olive oil until browned. Add all other ingredients; then cook slowly for approximately 1 hour. Pour over hot, drained, boiled spaghetti. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Makes 12 servings.

All Souls’ Day Macaroons

1 cup unblanched almonds

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 cup sifted flour

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons butter

Grated rind of 2 lemons (Be careful not to grate the white of the lemon)

Grind almonds until fine in a nut grinder or blender. Sift almonds, cinnamon, and sugar into a deep bowl. Add flour, eggs, butter, and lemon rind. Stir with spoon until mixture sticks together. Knead mixture until it no longer sticks to hands. Shape into 1-inch loaves with flat tops. Place macaroons 1 inch apart on a greased cookie sheet. Bake in a moderate oven (350º) for 16 to 20 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from cookie sheet. Makes about 70 macaroons. NOTE: This is a special dessert prepared for All Souls’ Day (a day to commemorate the dead in Italy), November 2.

Roman Dumplings

1 1/2 cups milk

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup farina or Cream of Wheat

1/2 cup butter

3 eggs

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Bring milk, water, and salt to boil. Slowly stir in Cream of Wheat. (Be careful to avoid lumps.) Cook over medium heat until thick; then remove from heat. Add 1/4 cup of the butter, 1/2 cup cheese, and 3 eggs. Mix well. Spread mixture about 1/4 inch thick onto cookie sheet. Let cool. Cut into circles with a cookie cutter and arrange in a buttered baking dish in overlapping layers. Sprinkle the remaining cheese and butter over each layer. Bake in moderate (350º) oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. You can prepare this recipe in advance and store in refrigerator until 30 minutes before serving.

Pizza

Crust:
1 package hot roll mix

Prepare hot roll mix as directed on package. Let the dough rise once while you prepare tomato sauce.

Sauce:
1 can Italian-style plum tomatoes (1 pound 1 ounce)
1 tablespoon oregano
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Cook all ingredients together for 15 minutes. Remove garlic and let cool. Grease a 9-by-14-inch baking sheet. Stretch hot roll dough over bottom of pan. Spread tomato sauce over the dough and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. (You can add pepperoni, olives, cooked ground beef or sausage, mushrooms, or any other topping you like on pizza.) Place baking sheet in oven at 450º. Bake for 25 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

Garlic Cheese Toast

1/2 pound butter

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 loaf Italian or French bread, split down the center and cut into 3-inch slices

Paprika

Melt butter and blend with cheese and garlic powder. Spread each slice of bread with cheese mixture. Broil in oven until cheese is golden brown. Sprinkle with paprika for color, and serve hot.