Veal Scaloppini Modenese
This is a shining favorite among Emilian dishes-veal cutlets topped with a paper-thin slice of ham, a light blanket of Swiss or Mozzarella cheese and, if possible, a few wafers of truffle.
Beat 1 egg and season it with salt and pepper. Dip A very thin veal cutlets in the egg and then in fine bread crumbs. Saute the cutlets slowly in 3 to 4 tablespoons of butter until they are golden brown on both sides. Arrange the cutlets in a shallow baking dish, and place on each a thin slice of prosciutto (Italian ham) and then a chin layer of Mozzarella cheese. Garnish with truffle slices if available and bake in a moderate oven (375” F.) until the cheese is melted.
Spinach Soup alla Modenese
Cook 1 pound of cleaned chopped spinach in 6 tablespoons butter until softened. Press it through a fine sieve and season with salt, pepper, a good pinch of nutmeg and 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese. Stir in 2 eggs, beaten lightly, and add the desired amount of hot stock. Bring the stock to a boil and simmer until the eggs curdle and thicken the soup.
PARMA
Gourmets and musicians feel especially indebted to this large, affable, bustling city. Being the source of Parmesan cheese, which is indispensable to countless fine dishes, it has a firm niche in gastronomic lore. As the birthplace of Arturo Toscanini, the final resting place of Paganini, and the setting of the famous Teatro Regio, which concedes but little to La Scala, Parma is a magnet for music lovers. It is rich in memories of Giuseppe Verdi, too. It was in Parma that the great genius Correggio accomplished his finest work. His masterpiece, the Madonna of San Girolamo, is in the Farnese Palace, and his finest frescoes adorn the cupola of the cathedral.
Parma is still rebuilding after the ravages caused by the last war, and its central squares are nor exactly restful. But everything is calm in the neighborhood of its towering Romanesque cathedral and the dusty-rose octagonal baptistry nearby. This baptistry, the work of the great sculptor Benedetto Antelami, is one of the noblest in Italy. In this tranquil spot Parma can be appreciated in full measure.
Hotelwise Parma is not as sparse as it used to be, for there is now another Jolly hotel here, newly opened, and a good one. It is on the Viale Arturo Toscanini, a distinguished address if we ever saw one.
We have also dined pleasantly at the Hotel Bristol, on the Via Garibaldi, and tried their tortellini alla parmigiana -a fabulous and fattening dish. Another specially to look for in Parma is anolini, and there is nothing to prevent you from ordering a Parmesan cheese delivered to your American doorstep.
PIACENZA
Almost at the termination of the Via Emilia, this ancient Roman city is a significant crossroads and a good place to stop when motoring between Milan and Florence, which many travelers do. Piacenza is as thriving and animated as its neighbors, and it has a marvelous thirteenth-century Civic Palace, a symphony of Stone, brick and terra cotta. This wonderful Lombard Gothic affair was built by the Farnesc dukes, whose prancing equestrian statues stand guard in the adjacent square. Within a stone's throw is the ALBERGO CROCE BIANCO, a prosperous provincial hotel with better-than average food and service, and clean, attractive rooms for an overnight stay. We have tried it on two occasions and found it more than adequate.
As a toothsome postscript, would you like to serve two simple Bolognese specialties? Here are recipes for a delectable little dice-on-toothpick delicacy, and for the basic ragout which accompanies tagliatelle alla bolognese. With the aid of some wide egg noodles and a tin of truffles, a memorable duo of dishes is within your grasp.
Fritto Bolognese
Cook in butter, with a pinch of salt and pepper, 4 chicken livers and an equal quantity of sweetbreads (which have been parboiled) until the chicken livers arc just firm. Cut them in dice. Cut an equal amount of cooked tongue, Gruyère cheese, ami 1 truffle into dice of the same size as the other ingredients.
Thread the five ingredients onto 24 toothpicks with the pieces of sweetbread and truffle in the middle. Spread them with a mixture of chopped herbs and grated Parmesan bound to a paste with beaten egg, so that the little dice arc completely masked. Dip in egg and fine breadcrumbs and fry in hot deep fat. Serve on a napkin with tufts of fried parsley and lemon slices.
Ragout Bolognese
This meat ragout, which is more than a sauce, may be served with spaghetti, noodles, ravioli or other pasta.
Brown together slowly in a saucepan ¾ pound of chopped beef, ¼ pound each of chopped pork, veal, and salt pork, 1 onion and 1 sliced carrot, both sliced, and 1 stalk of celery, chopped Add 1 ¼ cups stock and simmer until the liquid is almost entirely evaporated. Add 1 teaspoon tomato paste, salt and pepper, 1 clove, and just enough water to cover. Cover the pan and simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Add ¼ pound of sliced mushrooms and 2 chicken livers, diced, and cook 10 minutes longer. Finish with 1 sliced truffle and ½ cup cream.
Pinterest
