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Gnocchi of Farina or Cornmeal

A historical recipe from Practical Italian recipes for American kitchens, by Julia Lovejoy Cuniberti (1917).

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A historical recipe

Practical Italian recipes for American kitchens: Sold to aid the families of Italian soldiers, by Julia Lovejoy Cuniberti (1917). Project Gutenberg eBook #43912.

From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards.

Italy

Known as an Italian recipe, with similar versions prepared across other nations.

Ingredients 4 ingredients

  1. 1 pint of milk
  2. 1/2 cup farina
  3. a tablespoon of butter
  4. 1 egg Salt

Cook safely

Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.

  • Oven and hot trays. Use dry oven gloves for trays and dishes: a hot tray looks just like a cold one. Open the oven door away from your face and let the first rush of heat out.
  • Boiling water and steam. Turn pan handles inward, away from the edge of the hob. Lift lids away from you, and pour hot water away from your body: steam burns too.
  • Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.

Method

  1. Gnocchi alla Romana 1 pint of milk, or half milk and half water 1/2 cup farina or cornmeal Butter and grated cheese 1 egg Salt Let the milk come to a boil, salt it and add the farina gradually, stirring constantly so it will not become lumpy.
  2. Take from the fire and add a tablespoon of butter and several tablespoons of grated cheese, also the egg slightly beaten.
  3. Mix well and spread out on a moulding board in a sheet about 3/4 inch thick.
  4. When it is cold cut it in squares or diamonds.
  5. Put a layer of these on a shallow baking dish or platter that has been buttered.
  6. Sprinkle with cheese and dot with butter.
  7. Make another layer and so on until the dish is filled.
  8. Bake in the oven until the crust is well browned.

Plating

Cookware for this recipe

  • Saucepan
  • Baking dish
  • Chef's knife
  • Grater
  • Wooden spoon
Source Public domain in the USA
Credit

From Practical Italian recipes for American kitchens, by Julia Lovejoy Cuniberti (1917). Digitised by Project Gutenberg, eBook #43912 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/43912). Public domain in the USA; its status may differ elsewhere.

What was changed: As printed, from the book's text; Project Gutenberg's header and licence removed. Ingredient lines were read out of the text by a program. A historical recipe, not current advice.