12 Easy Recipes with Cheese, Mushrooms and Pasta

What have cheese, mushrooms, and pasta in common which brings them together in

the same section of a book on cookery? At first glance, not too much; at second

glance, a few things—cheese, mushrooms, and spaghetti, along with other items—combine to make several good recipes, as for example, Chicken Tetrazzini. As a

matter of fact, all pasta dishes are the better for cheese, and a great many pasta

dishes call for mushrooms. Cooked separately in recipes of which each is the main ingredient, all make fine luncheon or supper dishes but are not spectacular at dinner.

Each is probably at its best at a late party, post-theater or after the ball is over.

There is a wide variety of recipes for using cheese, there is a wide variety of cheese, so

that within reason you can alter the flavor of almost any cheese dish by altering the

cheese or by combining two or more cheeses in a recipe which called originally for only one. Cheese souffle makes a fine guinea pig. Make it with Cheddar, American

sharp, or Cheshire, or, as in the case of the present book, Swiss. There is another

souffle which calls for Swiss and Roquefort. I do not like the result, but others do. The point is that with one recipe for a souffle, you can produce a dozen different

results. The same thing is true of most cheese recipes. Hence, in addition to having

cheese available as a flavoring agent in many things, you will want to keep a reasonably large variety of it in your pantry for soufflés and other recipes. Parmesan

and similar cheeses usually grated for sprinkling over cooked food should be bought

in solid blocks and grated just before being served.

Except for flavoring or for combining with other foods, mushrooms do not have the wide culinary applicability of cheese. Large edible fungi, seldom seen in the United

States, can be given many different treatments and made into a wide variety of

enticing dishes. But the mushrooms normally sold or grown commercially here have distinct limitations when served by themselves as a principal part of a meal. As hors

d'oeuvre, of course, they have many uses. The two mushroom recipes which follow,

particularly the first, admit of considerable variation in seasoning, but one of the

charms of the recipe is its simplicity, and too many efforts to experiment with

seasoning will make it complex and destroy its chief appeal.

Pasta is almost infinite in its variety, both as to form and as to treatment. Whole books have been written about spaghetti alone. The recipes suggested are samples of

what can be done and bases for experiment and further development. There are at

least half a dozen meat sauces, many more seafood sauces, and a vast number of other kinds of sauces. The seven pasta examples will not give you even a good cross

section of Italian cookery in this field alone, nor is that their purpose. What I have

attempted to do is include a few samples of pasta which would serve as quick and handy recipes for unexpected entertaining, or for use as a pasta course at more

formal affairs.

The truth is that I had wanted to include these particular recipes because I like them.

There seemed no other appropriate section in which to put them, and in view of the common denominators mentioned in the opening paragraph, they were lumped

together in this section.

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CHEESE WINSE SERVES 4

This little dish is a little like Welsh Rabbit; like Welsh Rabbit its name has little to do with its content. The name, derives, I believe, either from a typographical error—the

results of some such errors are stupendous—or from an unfortunate draw at

scrabble. Certainly it is too suggestive a word to be lost. The dish itself is appropriate for luncheon or supper, but it is most effective at a late supper party when chafing

dish cookery really comes into its own. Cheddar cheese would be even better than

sharp cheese. The pickled walnut juice is not essential, but it adds piquancy.

1 POUND SHARP CHEESE

1 SMALL GREEN PEPPER

2 SMALL ONIONS

1 TIN TOMATOES, ABOUT l½ CUPS

l½ CUPS MILK

4 TABLESPOONS BUTTER

3 TABLESPOONS FLOUR

3 TABLESPOONS BRANDY

½ TEASPOON SALT

½ TEASPOON PEPPER

2 TABLESPOONS PICKLED WALNUT JUICE

Grate the cheese or cut it into dice. Mince the green pepper and the onions. Drain the

tomatoes. Scald the milk. Melt the butter in the top of a double boiler or chafing dish and sauté in it the minced onion and green pepper until soft. Place the container over

water boiling in the lower half of the double boiler or chafing dish. Add flour and mix

into a roux. Cook for about five minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually add the hot milk to make a thick sauce. While it is cooking slowly, heat the brandy, light it, and

pour it into the sauce. When the flame has died, add the tomatoes, stir them in well,

breaking them up as you stir. Gradually add the grated cheese. When it has melted,

season with salt, pepper, and walnut juice. Let cook another five minutes, and serve.

Cheese Winse should be served over freshly made toast. While no vegetables are

required, any simple green vegetable such as peas or green beans will go well with it.

Mixed Green Salad III (qv) is recommended to follow. Beer accompanies it better than wine, but if wine is what you want let it be light and white, as for example a

Traminer.

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SWISS CHEESE SOUFFLE SERVES 4

No proper cookbook, except a highly specialized one, would be complete without a recipe for a cheese souffle. Soufflés are chancy things and take a bit of experimenting,

chiefly with oven temperatures, before you can be sure that the result you envision

will be the result you will get. Despite automation and thermometers, each stove has its idiosyncrasies, so the result of your first attempt at this recipe may not be what

you expect. Do not despair, but try again; in the end you will come up with something

special and fancy. Once the correct oven temperature has been established for your stove, you will have no more difficulty. Most soufflés are made with sharp cheese of

one sort or another, and you will find that Swiss cheese gives a different and, I think,

more interesting taste. Try it for luncheon or supper, or even at Sunday brunch.

It may be cooked in a single, large ovenproof serving dish, or in individual ramekins. If you use the former, allow about fifteen per cent more cooking time. Soufflés should

always be served at the table, but as they "fall" very quickly, be sure your guests are

seated before you serve. Remember the old admonition: "If the guests are to fall for

the souffle, the souffle must not fall for the guests."

4 OUNCES SWISS CHEESE

2 TABLESPOONS BUTTER

1 TIN CONDENSED CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP

1 CUP SOFT BREAD CRUMBS

SALT

PEPPER

4 EGGS

Grate the cheese or dice it fine. Place the butter in a large saucepan and melt: it over

a slow fire. Add the grated cheese and stir with a wooden; spoon until it is well blended with the melted butter. Add the cream of chicken soup and the bread

crumbs. Sprinkle well with salt and pepper, using not too much salt. Stir until the

whole is a homogenous mixture, and remove from the fire. While it is cooling, separate the eggs. Beat the yolks and stir in well. Fold in the stiffly beaten whites. The

mixture should be smooth and the same color and texture throughout. Divide it

among four individual ramekins, and place in a pre-heated, moderate oven (350 degrees) for thirty minutes, or until risen and browned well on top. Remove and

serve at once. Toast, rolls, or salt sticks will go well with the souffle but are not

essential. A Greenbrier Salad (qv) or cold asparagus spears with mayonnaise should accompany it, along with a chilled, light, Rose wine similar to Bouquet de Provence.

For dessert I should suggest something light, possibly fresh fruit alone, but never, not

ever, ice cream in any form.

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WELSH RABBIT SERVES 4

Of the; hundreds of luncheon and supper dishes and late snacks, the most famous

and the most often misspelled is Welsh Rabbit. To call it a "rarebit" takes all the

humor out of the name and is wrong to boot. According to the late eminent English lexicographer, H. W. Fowler, ".…Welsh rabbit is amusing and right, and Welsh

rarebit is stupid and wrong." Webster, the standard American authority, points out

that "rarebit" is erroneously used for "rabbit" in the name of this delicacy. Regardless of the spelling, it is good, quick, and easy to prepare either in the kitchen or in a

chafing dish at the table, and does not deserve its reputation for indigestibility.

Almost any kind of hard English or American cheese may be used. The better the cheese, the better the result. I prefer Cheddar; Cheshire is good; so are any of the

sharper cheeses. The recipe below makes a fairly "hot" rabbit. You may reduce its

"temperature" by reducing the quantity of, or eliminating entirely, some of the condiments. Contrariwise, you may make the rabbit even "hotter" by adding a

teaspoon of curry powder, which will also sweeten the taste a little, not always an

improvement.

1 POUND CHEESE

2 EGGS

1 TABLESPOON BUTTER

½ PINT BEER OR ALE

1 TEASPOON SALT

2 TABLESPOONS PAPRIKA

1 TEASPOON DRY MUSTARD

1 TABLESPOON WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE

1 DASH TABASCO

1 PINCH CAYENNE PEPPER

Photo owned by Jiel Beaumadier

Grate, grind, or dice the cheese. Beat the eggs lightly. In a chafing dish or large skillet—a double boiler may be used but is unnecessary if the dish is constantly

stirred as it should be—melt the butter; pour in the beer or ale. As soon as the beer is

hot, but before it boils, add the cheese. From now on the ingredients must be stirred continuously. When the cheese has become creamy, add the eggs and then the

seasonings. Once the rabbit has thickened and is thoroughly hot, it should be served

immediately on hot toast on very hot plates. Toast made from ordinary white bread will do, but French bread toasted and slightly charred over an open flame adds to the

taste of the dish.

With Welsh Rabbit goes beer. Obviously no other drink will do, except, oddly

enough, champagne. As for vegetables, none is necessary, and none really goes well

except raw ones such as: carrots, or cabbage, or turnips, or unadorned lettuce.

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BROILED MUSHROOMS SERVES 2

Mushrooms are so often used to add flavor or volume to other food, such as chicken à

la king, mushroom gravy, or spaghetti, that one is apt to lose sight of the fact that they themselves provide some succulent dishes. This recipe and the following one are

examples. Broiled mushrooms on toast are very easy to prepare and low in calories.,

if that matters. And if it really matters you can broil or grill them without butter, but

they must then be watched carefully and turned frequently to prevent scorching.

Butter adds flavor, however, and keeps the little fungi from drying up. In either case,

overcooking will make them tough.

l6 MEDIUM MUSHROOMS

4 PATS OF BUTTER

2 TEASPOONS FINELY CHOPPED PARSLEY

SALT

PEPPER

Remove and discard the stems from the mushrooms. Lightly grease with butter a flat, low-sided pan. Arrange the mushroom caps, top down, on the pan, and place a

quarter of a pat of butter in each upturned cap. Place the pan under the broiler, and

cook the mushrooms under a moderately high flame for about ten minutes. Remove the pan from the broiler, turn each cap over, baste with butter, and replace under the

flame. Baste again in about two minutes. When the caps are golden brown on top, the

mushrooms are done. Remove from the pan, arrange on buttered toast from which you have cut the crust, season lightly with salt and pepper, garnish with a few pieces

of minced parsley on each cap, and serve.

Half a broiled tomato on each plate will not only add to the appearance of the dish

but to its taste as well. Follow it with a raw Spinach Salad (qv) and serve with it a

bottle of Barbera, one of Italy's good, light red wines.

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MUSHROOMS KNUDSON SERVES 2

Mushrooms Knudson belongs in that category of recipes which were invented during

World War II, when meat cost red ration points as well as money. Mushrooms were point free and considerably cheaper than meat—or than they are now, for that

matter. More elaborate than broiled mushrooms, and fancier, these are, nonetheless,

quickly prepared and supply an unusual main course for a formal luncheon, informal dinner, or supper. They are also a good example of how a little wine used judiciously

in the kitchen can appreciably alter the taste and appearance of food and add variety

to your menus. The number of mushrooms needed will, of course, vary with their size. Six large ones or eight medium are about right for each person. The sherry must

be dry. Curry powder tends to sweeten, and anything but a really dry sherry here is

ruinous.

12 LARGE MUSHROOMS

4 TABLESPOONS BUTTER

¼ CUP CREAM

2 TABLESPOONS CHOPPED PARSLEY

1 TABLESPOON PAPRIKA

¼ TEASPOON CURRY POWDER

¼ CUP DRY SHERRY

½ TEASPOON SALT

¼ TEASPOON PEPPER

2 SPRIGS WATER CRESS

Remove the mushroom stems and mince them. Melt the butter in a large skillet, add

cream, chopped parsley, paprika, curry powder, sherry, salt, and pepper. Mix well together. When hot add the mushroom caps and cook slowly for about ten minutes,

turning the mushrooms several times.

Stir in the minced mushroom stems, cover, and simmer slowly for another ten

minutes. If the sauce is too thick, thin with more sherry; if too liquid, remove the cover and simmer a little longer to let some of the liquid evaporate. Arrange the

mushrooms on toast triangles, pour the sauce over them, garnish with water cress

and serve.

Mixed Green Salad II (qv) or raw Spinach Salad (qv) served with the mushrooms in lieu of a vegetable would be enough for luncheon or supper. For dinner you might

add fresh asparagus, followed by one of the salads. I confess to a weakness for red

Chianti with these mushrooms, no doubt from old association. Peaches Tiberius (qv)

would make a good dessert.

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EFFIE'S ESPERANZA SERVES 4

There once was a girl named Effie, whose virtues included, among others, the ability

to cook this excellent pasta. She was willing enough to part with the recipe, but she apparently made up her mind not to reveal the origin or the significance of the title.

There are three Latin-American towns with that name; perhaps a visit to one of them

might provide a clue. Meanwhile you can enjoy the dish, which is a little like Spaghetti Bianca (qv) in composition but quite different in appearance and taste. You

will find it handy at luncheon, supper, or a late party. It also serves as a replacement

for soup at a more formal meal—in the Italian manner—when it could well be

followed by veal in some form or other.

8 OUNCES NOODLES

1/3 CUP CREAMY COTTAGE CHEESE

2 OUNCES CREAM CHEESE

¼ CUP SOUR CREAM

1 JAR BABY FOOD SPINACH

¼ CUP WHITE WINE

6 SPRING ONIONS

1 TEASPOON SALT

½ TEASPOON PEPPER

½ TEASPOON NUTMEG

2 TABLESPOONS GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE

2 TABLESPOONS BUTTER

Boil the noodles in a large quantity of salted water for about twelve minutes. While

the noodles are boiling, mix in a bowl the cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, spinach, and white wine until you have a comparatively smooth mixture. Chop the

onions fine, including half the tops. Add the onions, the salt, pepper, and nutmeg to

the bowl, and stir them well in. Drain the noodles. Butter a casserole generously, place the noodles in it, and pour on the cheese mixture. Stir it well. Sprinkle the

grated Parmesan cheese over the top and dot with butter. Place the casserole in a

pre-heated, moderate oven (350 degrees), and bake for thirty minutes. Serve hot.

If this is to be your main course, you may serve it with any green vegetable which in your opinion goes well with pasta, such as peas, whole baby beets, or green beans. In

any event it should be followed by a Mixed Green Salad I or II (qv). The wine should

be red and Italian, either Chianti or Barbera. Eve's Dessert (qv) would put an

excellent finish to the meal.

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LASAGNE CONDOTTBERE SERVES 6

Because of the time required to make a good lasagne, there was some doubt about

including a recipe for it. This version can be produced in a little less than an hour. You will have to work mighty fast—a euphemism for hurry like hell—but it can be

done if you use condensed tomato soup to make the sauce. A lasagne is among the

best of the pasta dishes and has all the excitement of a grab bag, because one never knows just what goodies will be found in it. It is splendid for Sunday supper—when

presumably you will not have to work so rapidly—and good at any meal except

brunch, where it would be just a little too much.

Photo owned by Jules Stone Soup

1 LARGE ONION, CHOPPED FINE

1 POUND LASAGNE

4 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL

½ POUND MOZZARELLA CHEESE

4 OUNCES PEPPERONI

3 TINS CONDENSED TOMATO SOUP

FRESH BLACK PEPPER

1 CUP GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE

Chop the onion fine. Cook the lasagne according to the directions on the box. (If you buy it loose, it should be cooked in lots of rapidly boiling, well-salted water for about

fifteen minutes, drained, and kept in cold water until needed.) Put the olive oil in a

large saucepan over a medium flame, and when it is hot, add the chopped onion. Slice the Mozzarella and the pepperoni very thin. When the onion has become

golden, add the tomato soup and about one teaspoon freshly ground black pepper,

and let the sauce cook for about ten minutes. In an ovenproof dish, arrange a layer of lasagne, cover with a layer of Mozzarella cheese and about a dozen slices of

pepperoni. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and cover with the tomato sauce. Then

start over again with another layer of lasagne, building up the second layer like the first. Continue building the layers of pasta, cheese, pepperoni, and sauce, until the

dish is full or the ingredients all used. Add a final sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, and

bake in a hot oven (450 degrees) for about twenty minutes.

Serve the lasagne by cutting it from top to bottom with a large spoon, thus giving each guest a complete cross section. With it you will want no vegetables, but a large

Mixed Green Salad I or III (qv) and a red Italian wine, either Chianti or Barolo.

Fragole Marsala (qv) makes an excellent dessert.

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FETTUCINE AL BURRO SERVES 4

Fettucine means ribbons, and is a pasta dish not often found in the United States but

much esteemed abroad, not only in Italy, but also in many other countries. It merits

a place on anyone's table. The type described here is based on that made famous by the original Alfredo's restaurant in Rome—at last report there were at least five

restaurants there doing business under the maestro's name, What made Alfredo's

noodles so soft and fluffy was the high proportion of eggs to flour in the pasta itself. Just what that proportion was, was his secret, but the result literally did melt in your

mouth. A huge platter of fettucine was placed before you—more than you thought

you could possibly eat. With much fanfare, Alfredo himself came and, with flourishing spoon and fork, mixed the cheese and butter into it. In a matter of

minutes you had emptied the platter and found yourself, much to your astonishment,

prepared to welcome the next course with relish.

Photo owned by W3stfa11

The following recipe will not make you another Alfredo, although, of course, you

could make your own pasta and by trial and error might discover his secret. In the

interest of time, you may prefer to start with a box of fettucine, purchasable at any good Italian food shop. You may even use packaged noodles: the long wide flat type,

not the variety usually found in noodle soup.

1 POUND FETTUCINE OR NOODLES

3/8 POUND BUTTER

1 CUP GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE

Cook the fettucine in rapidly boiling, salted water until done, eight to twelve minutes.

Taste a small piece from time to time until it is tender. Drain and place on a very hot platter. Melt the butter. Add the cheese to the butter, and let the mixture get

thoroughly hot, stirring constantly. Pour it over the fettucine, and toss until your

"little ribbons" are well coated—but be quick about it. Serve immediately with

additional grated cheese on the side.

Fettucine may replace the soup course at dinner or constitute the main dish at any

other meal. In either event it is best preceded by an antipasto, and not followed by a salad. As vegetables I should suggest peas, chopped broccoli, or, preferably, zucchini.

With it I like Orvieto or Frascati; if these are not available, white Chianti will do

handsomely. The dessert could be only a Rum Omelette (qv), made at the table to the

soft music of a violin.

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RAVIOLI OREGANO SERVES 4

Ravioli, whether stuffed with meat, chicken, or vegetables, is a simple Italian dish

well suited to luncheon or supper. It is not too difficult to make from scratch if you are handy with pastry, but it does take a goodish bit of time. You may, however, serve

it quickly and readily by taking advantage of a wide selection of ravioli now available

in tins and jars. Re-seasoned as described in this recipe, commercially prepared ravioli becomes an extremely useful item to have on your pantry shelves. It requires

only a few moments to "doctor" and heat. Moreover, it matters not whether your

luncheon is for one guest or several, or even whether your guests are totally unexpected: you merely open more ravioli. A single jar is a little too much for one

person and not enough for two people—the little pastries run about ten to the jar. If

the variety you buy seems short on sauce, rectify this omission by adding a few

tablespoons of condensed tomato soup.

3 JARS RAVIOLI IN TOMATO SAUCE

1 TEASPOON ORÉGANO

¼ TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER

2 TEASPOONS GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE

2 DASHES TABASCO (OPTIONAL BUT GOOD)

Place the ravioli in a saucepan or skillet, sprinkle with orégano, pepper, and cheese.

Add the Tabasco. Heat over a slow fire, and stir gently with a wooden rather than a

metal spoon to avoid cutting the pastry. When thoroughly hot, serve with additional

grated Parmesan cheese on the side.

This ravioli, accompanied by a bottle of red Chianti and followed by a Greenbrier

Salad (qv) and Gorgonzola cheese, makes about as good a quick lunch as you can

have. Buttered, hot French bread goes well with both the food and the wine.

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SPAGHETTI BIANCA SERVES 6

Spaghetti has become almost as American as Italian. It is a favourite for Sunday

suppers in many parts of the United States; it is served extensively for late suppers;

and is almost a fixture at informal buffet dinners. Yet few spaghetti dishes lend

themselves to speedy preparation. Their sauces usually require several hours to cook, and more than any other single food, spaghetti depends upon sauces. Spaghetti

Bianca is a notable and palatable exception as far as speed is concerned. The sauce

can be made in little more time than the spaghetti takes to boil properly, or a total, say, of twenty minutes. If you like garlic, this is the place for it. You may add another

clove or two. The quantities listed here will suffice for six moderately hungry people

for supper or a late party. The dish is a little heavy for luncheon.

1 POUND THIN SPAGHETTI

5 TABLESPOONS PARSLEY, FINELY CHOPPED

6 TABLESPOONS BUTTER

4 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL

3 CLOVES GARLIC

2 CUPS CREAM

½ TEASPOON ORÉGANO

¼ TEASPOON ROSEMARY

2 TEASPOONS SALT

1 TEASPOON BLACK PEPPER

l½ CUPS GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE

While the spaghetti is cooking in rapidly boiling, salted water—ten to twelve minutes should make it tender—chop the parsley fine. Melt the butter in a large saucepan;

add the olive oil. When these are hot, add the garlic, minced, or put it through a

garlic press, and cook over a low heat, but do not let it burn. Add the parsley, cream, orégano, rosemary, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook over a low fire. By now the

spaghetti should be cooked. Drain it and add to the saucepan. The result will look

unfortunate, but have faith—the cheese will pull the dish together. Add it a little at a time, stirring it well into the mixture with a wooden spoon, keeping the fire low. By

the time all the cheese has been used, the dish will have taken on a meritorious

appearance. It will taste even better than it looks. Remove to a large hot platter and

serve with grated cheese on the side.

Mixed Green Salad II (qv), with an extra quantity of tomatoes, will go very well with

this spaghetti. Better than the salad, perhaps, but to the same purpose, would be an

antipasto before the spaghetti. With it you will want wine; either a red Chianti or Inglenook Napa Valley red wine (from Gamay grapes). For dessert, try Raspberry

Fluff (qv).

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SPAGHETTI VONGOLE SERVES 4

Despite its wide popularity in the United States, spaghetti is usually thought of in terms of meat or tomato sauce. This is an unfortunate thought, for spaghetti, in the

matter of sauces, is almost as versatile as rice. The next time you have a yen for

spaghetti, try it with a sauce made from clams. There are a number of such recipes, but the quickest method, and one which gives excellent results, is based on the use of

tinned clams, already cooked and minced. The dish makes a fine pasta course, or an

equally good main course at a less elaborate meal, whether it be luncheon, dinner, or

supper.

This sauce may look a little thin before you put it on the spaghetti, but it will be

quickly absorbed. Two cloves of garlic, well minced, could replace the garlic powder.

2 TABLESPOONS MINCED PARSLEY

1 POUND SPAGHETTI

2 TINS MINCED CLAMS

½ CUP OLIVE OIL

l½ TEASPOONS GARLIC POWDER

1 TEASPOON ITALIAN RED PEPPER

½ TEASPOON SALT

Photo owned by Ayustety

Mince the parsley very fine. Cook the spaghetti in a large quantity of rapidly boiling

salted water for twelve to fifteen minutes. Drain the clams, reserving the juice. Place

the olive oil and clam juice in a large skillet, and heat slowly. When hot, add the garlic powder, the parsley, and the Italian pepper. Continue to cook slowly for about

ten minutes. Add the salt and the minced clams; stir well. While the mixture is

heating through, drain the spaghetti, and place on a hot platter. Pour the sauce over

it, mix well, and serve.

Whether served as a pasta course, or a main dish at supper, Spaghetti Vongole

requires no vegetables, but if you want one, baby carrots—they come in tins—would be both appropriate and good. The salad should be fairly elaborate: Mangoleekee

(qv), for example, or Mixed Green II (qv). A Frascati or a Lachryma Christi, or any

other similar dry white wine will complement this dish. Here, again, the best dessert

is fresh fruit.

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SPEEDY SPAGHETTI CON CARNE SERVES 4

It is obviously impossible to combine two tinned soups, some seasoning, and a pound

of hamburger into a quick meat sauce for spaghetti which will be as good as a proper sauce made from the normal ingredients and cooked slowly all afternoon. This recipe

will produce, nevertheless, in about fifty minutes, a most acceptable substitute. It is

thus ideal for those Sunday or after-cocktail-party suppers when you cannot predict the number of guests or even whether supper will be cooked at all. The quantities

listed below will serve four people generously, five people moderately, and give six

people something to eat.

8 OUNCES THIN SPAGHETTI

3 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL

1 LARGE CLOVE GARLIC

1 TIN TOMATO PASTE

½ CUP WATER

¾ CUP CHOPPED ONION

1 POUND HAMBURGER

1 TIN CONDENSED TOMATO SOUP

1 TIN CONDENSED CELERY SOUP

1 FOUR-OUNCE TIN BUTTON MUSHROOMS

1 TEASPOON ORÉGANO

1 BAY LEAF

1 TEASPOON SALT

½ TEASPOON PEPPER

2 TABLESPOONS WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE

1 CUP GRATED PARMESAN CHEESE

While the spaghetti is boiling in plenty of salted water, heat the olive oil in a large

heavy saucepan, and mince the garlic into the oil. Sauté the garlic for a few minutes but do not allow it to brown. Mix the tomato paste with the half cup of water. Add the

chopped onion and the beef to the hot oil, and cook until the meat is browned

through, stirring the while. Pour in the soups, the diluted tomato paste, the

mushrooms, and all the seasonings.

Stir well, cover, and let simmer for half an hour, or as much longer as you like. Drain

the spaghetti when it is done, and keep warm. When you are ready to serve, spread

the spaghetti on a hot platter, remove the bay leaf from the saucepan, and pour the

sauce over the pasta. Serve with grated cheese on the side.

As this is a dish essentially for informal entertaining, I should serve no vegetable with

it unless it be something like chopped broccoli. It calls out loudly, however, for a red

Chianti and a leafy salad without tomatoes, such as Mixed Green I or III (qv). For

dessert, if there is time to prepare it, Zabaglione (qv) is the answer.

This reproduction is made possible by Susan Alexander Truffles. Visit us if you’re

looking for scrumptious truffle recipes.