1/2 lb. salt pork
2 or 3 sprigs parsley
1 kernel garlic
2 carrots
1/4 medium sized cabbage
1 scant cup dried beans, Lima or kidney, soaked over night
2 quarts cold water
A little celery
Any left over peas
1 tablespoon butter
Rice, salt and pepper

"Cut off the rind of the pork and put it into 2 quarts of water to boil. Cut off a small slice of the pork and beat it to a paste with the parsley and garlic. Add this paste to the pork and water. Slice the carrots, cut the rib out of the cabbage leaves. Add the carrots, cabbage leaves, other vegetables, seasoning and butter to the soup, and let it boil slowly for 2 1/2 hours. The last 1/2 hour add 1 small handful of rice for each person. When the the pork is very soft, remove and slice in little ribbons and put it back. This is equally good eaten cold. Three bouillon cubes may be used instead of pork, or may be added if a richer soup is desired. Mme. Varesi."

This recipe was taken from "Practical Italian Recipes, sold for the Benefit of Italian War Orphans," by Julia Lovejoy Cuniberti. It was published in Washington, D.C. in 1918. For the entire copyright-free cookbook see www.archive.org.... P.S. I did not do this recipe but have done similar ones and found them quite good. The exact same recipe can be found in Mrs. Maria Gentile's, "The Italian Cookbook the Art of Eating Well, Practical Recipes of the Italian Cuisine(1919)." Photo and notes: Mary Melfi.

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