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X Italian Meat Dishes
Fritto Misto alla Romana (Fried sweetbreads, croquettes, liver, etc.)
Originated from: Lazio, Italy
Occasion: Any time
Contributed by: Taken from "Simple Italian Cookery," by Antonia Isola (Harper and Brothers, 1912)

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Ingredients

For Sweetbreads
One tablespoon of butter
One tablespoon of stock
Parsley
One tablespoon of lemon
Flour
Egg

For Calf's Liver
Flour
Egg
Lard
Salt



Directions

"Golden Bread, Brains, Sweetbreads, Croquettes of Chicken and Veal and Eggs, Calf's Liver and Pumpkin ? all these different ingredients should be fried each in its own manner as follows, a small quantity of each, and served all together on one platter with slices of lemon.

Golden Bread

Choose bread which is elastic, but has no holes in it. Remove the crust and cut it in slices about one inch thick, and from these slices cut little pieces about three inches long and about one inch wide. Trim them off well, so they will not be ragged or uneven. Put these pieces into a bowl and throw on them some boiling water, then remove them immediately and throw them into a big bowl of cold water. This operation should be done quickly, so as to make the bread feel the impression of heat and cold, one directly after the other. Then take the bread between the hands

and gently squeeze out the water without breaking the pieces or deforming them. Place them on a napkin to dry. Then dip them in egg which has been beaten up and seasoned with salt and pepper. Allow the egg to soak well into the bread. Fifteen minutes before serving put a frying-pan on with a quantity of lard, and as soon as the lard is lukewarm put in the pieces of bread, turn them as soon as they harden a little on one side. The bread must fry very slowly, and should remain on the fire at least ten minutes, so that the heat can penetrate gradually into the middle and make it light. This bread to be successful should be hollow inside like a fritter when finished. When the bread

has taken a good golden color, remove from the lard, drain it on a napkin, add a little salt, and serve very hot."

Sweetbreads

Parboil the sweetbreads, then cook them with one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of stock, then cooked cut them into smallish pieces, season with pepper, chopped-up parsley, and one tablespoon of lemon, then roll them in flour; dip into egg and fry.

Calf's Liver Fried

Remove the skin, and cut into slices large but thin, roll

in flour, dip in egg, and fry in boiling lard, allowing them to remain in the frying-pan only a couple of minutes;

then drain on a napkin, sprinkle on a little salt, and serve."




Notes

This recipe was taken from "Simple Italian Cookery" written by Antonia Isola (pen name for Mabel Earl McGinnis). It was published in the United States by Harper and Brothers in 1912. It is believed to be the first American cookbook that contains Italian recipes. For the complete copyright-free cookbook see www.archive.org. A variety of recipes from this cookbook can also be found on this website.... Photo: Mary Melfi.

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