As a side dish
Pumpkin, sliced, seeds and rind removed
Flour
Egg
Lard or olive-oil for frying

For garnishing meat
Pumpkin, cut exceedingly fine
Flour
Lard or olive oil for frying

"Take a slice of pumpkin, remove the rind and the seeds. Cut it into strips as for French fried potatoes, only finer. Roll in flour and dip in egg, and fry in boiling lard or olive oil. If desired as garnishing for meat, cut the pumpkin exceedingly fine, roll in flour, but not in egg, and fry."

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. For a variety of recipes from this cookbook see Italy Revisited/"XXX Italian Cookbook by Antonia Isola"....Photo: Mary Melfi.

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