Casserole Ramekin
Here is the Americanization of a French original: In a deep casserole lay alternate slices of white bread and Swiss cheese, with the cheese slices a bit bigger all around. Beat 2 eggs with 2 cups of milk, season with salt and—of all things—nutmeg! Proceed to bake like individual Ramekins.
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Chapter Eight
Pizzas, Blintzes, Pastes, Cheese Cakes, etc.
No matter how big or hungry your family, you can always appease them with pizza.
Pizza—The Tomato Pie of Sicily
DOUGH
1 package yeast, dissolved in warm water 2 cups sifted flour 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons olive oil
Make dough of this.
Knead 12 to 20 minutes. Pat into a ball,
cover it tight and let
stand 3 hours in warm place until twice
the size.
TOMATO PASTE
3 tablespoons olive oil 2 large onions, sliced thin 1 can Italian tomato paste 8 to 10 anchovy filets, cut small 1/2 teaspoon oregano Salt Crushed chili pepper 2-1/2 cups water
In the oil fry onion tender but not too brown, stir in tomato paste and keep stirring 3 or 4 minutes. Season, pour water over and simmer slowly 25 to 30 minutes. Add anchovies when sauce is done.
CHEESE
1/2 cup grated Italian, Parmesan, Romano or Pecorino, depending on your pocketbook
Procure a low, wide and handsome tin pizza pan, or reasonable substitute, and grease well before spreading the well-raised dough 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick. Poke your finger tips haphazardly into the dough to make marks that will catch the sauce when you pour it on generously. Shake on Parmesan or Parmesan-type cheese and bake in hot oven 1/2 hour, then 1/4 hour more at lower heat until the pizza is golden-brown. Cut in wedges like any other pie and serve.
The proper pans come all tin and a yard wide, down to regular apple-pie size, but twelve-inch pans are the most popular.
Miniature Pizzas
Miniature pizzas are split English muffins rubbed with garlic or onion and brushed with olive oil. Cover with tomato sauce and a slice of Mozzarella cheese, anchovy, oregano and grated Parmesan, and heat 8 minutes.
Italian-Swiss Scallopini
1 pound paper-thin veal cutlets 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup grated Swiss and Parmesan, mixed 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten with water Butter Salt Paprika
Moisten veal with egg
and roll in flour mixed with cheese,
quickly brown, lower
flame and cook 4 to 5 minutes till tender.
Dust with paprika and
salt.
Neapolitan Baked Lasagne, or Stuffed Noodles
1 pound lasagne, or other wide noodles 1-1/2 cups cooked thick tomato sauce with meat 1/2 pound Ricotta or cottage cheese 1 pound Mozzarella or American Cheddar 1/4 pound grated Parmesan, Romano or Pecorino Salt Pepper, preferably crushed red pods A shaker filled with grated Parmesan, or reasonable substitute