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X Italian Pasta Dishes
Maccheroni alla Napoletana (with tomatoes, steak and mushrooms)
Originated from: Naples, Campania, Italy
Occasion: Any time
Contributed by: Taken from "The Italian Cook Book" by Maria Gentile (The Italian Book Co., 1919)

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Ingredients

For sauce
1/4 lb. salt pork or bacon
One small onion
Parsley, chopped
A clove, shredded fine
A few dried mushrooms
1/2 lb. round steak, ground coarsely or cut up in little cubes
Fresh or canned tomatoes or half a tablespoonful of tomato paste

For pasta
Macaroni or spaghetti (Could also be used for rice)
Grated cheese




Directions

"Grind 1/4 lb. salt pork or bacon and fry it out in a saucepan. While it is frying put one small onion through the grinder. As soon as the pork begins to brown add the onion, the parsley chopped, a clove (or small section) of garlic shredded fine, and a few dried mushrooms which have been softened by soaking in warm water. When the vegetables are very brown (great care must be taken not to burn the onion, which scorches very easily) add 1/2 lb. round steak ground coarsely or cut up in little cubes. When the meat is a good brown color, add some fresh or canned tomatoes or half a tablespoonful of tomato paste and simmer slowly until all has cooked down to a thick cream sauce. It will probably take 3/4 hour. The sauce may be bound together with a little flour it it shows a tendency to separate. This sauce is used to dress all kinds of macaroni and spaghetti, also for boiled rice (see Risotto). The macaroni or spaghetti should be left unbroken when cooked. If they are too long to fit in the kettle immerse one end in the boiling salted water and in a very few minutes the ends of the spaghetti under the water will become softened so that the rest can be pushed down into the kettle. Be careful not to overcook it, and it will not be pasty, but firm and tender. Drain it carefully and put in a hot soup tureen. Sprinkle a handful of grated cheese over it and pour on the sauce. Lift with two forks until thoroughly mixed."


Notes

This recipe was taken from "The Italian Cook Book: the Art of Eating Well, Practical Recipes of the Italian Cuisine" by Mrs. Maria Gentile. It was published in the U.S. in 1919. For the entire copyright-free cookbook see www.archive.org.... Image -- Philip Wilson Steer, Young Woman on the Beach, around 1886.

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