Galletti al Gorgonzola

The recipes below, as well as other fine recipes, are translated from a special 1929 edition (December 15, 1929, Vol. VIII) of the magazine La Cucina Italiana. This edition was sent as a special addition to our subscription to this wonderful magazine. One of the reasons we are translating these recipes has to do with our impression, at least based on this edition of the magazine, that life in those times was a much more simple thing. The recipes are general, contain no specific list of ingredients, often do not specify cooking times, and reflect a lack the need for the obsessive lists of ingredients that we have come to expect in a recipe.

Are these recipes better than those developed today? We are not wise enough to make that determination. We offer these recipes as a way for modern cooks, interested in Italian foods, to try something new, easygoing and perhaps not seen before. These recipes offer opportunities to experiment, to try things that might not be tried given a more limiting recipe. From time to time, we will translate other of these recipes and post them on The Artisan. We usually offer both the Italian and English translation in this section of the site, but we will not do so here. If the Italian version of La Cucina Italiana interests you, log onto the following: Indirizzo Internet de "La Cucina Italiana on Line" e www.cucinait.com.

Use either fresh or dry beans for this recipe. If using dry beans let them soak overnight in slightly salted tepid water. When cooking the beans, do so at least two hours prior to the dinner hour.

Prepare a sofritto for this soup in the following manner: Cut a 76 gram piece of lard into pieces. [The Artisan Note: Olive oil may be substituted if you have concerns about fat, but the recipe will not be the same as the original author desired.] Finely chop a little parsley, basil and a quarter clove of garlic, along with a little onion. Set aside.

Fry some herbs - to your liking - in a little olive oil, and when cooked add a little tomato paste.

Cook the beans in the sofritto for a bit, then add either cooked rice or pasta. If preferred, some of the beans may be pureed and put through a food mill to obtain a thicker soup.

This recipe is sufficient for six people. The amount of beans used may vary according to your preference.

[The Artisan Note: The recipe does not specify either water or broth. We suggest a proper amount of liquid will be necessary after the beans have cooked with the sofritto for a while to actually have a soup at the end.]

Place a half pound of macaroni in a stove top casserole, and just cover the pasta with water. Add salt, pepper and 30 grams of butter. Gently boil this mixture until no more water remains.

Grate a half pound of Gruyere and Parmesan cheese. [The Artisan Note: The author does not specify whether or not this is a half pound of each cheese or a half pound of the combined cheeses. We opt for the second choice.] Mix the cheeses with the macaroni, and add a few tablespoons of a good tomato sauce.

Cut a breast of chicken in to small pieces. Do the same for some mushrooms, and some truffles (if you have them).

Prepare a form with the Pasta Sfogliata [Artisan Note: Up to this point Pasta Sfogliata (Puff Pastry) has not been mentioned by the original author of this recipe. Here is a recipe. Preparing a form is easily done in either a medium size glass bowl or a spring form pan. If preferred Pasta Sfogliata or Puff Pastry may be purchased frozen rather than made from scratch.]

Carefully place the macaroni mixture in the form. This requires great concentration, and the cook should not be distracted during this process..

Once the macaroni mixture is safely in the Pasta Sfogliata, cover it with another piece of Pasta Sfoglia. Before baking the macaroni pie, make an indentation in the top of the cover.

Place the pie in the oven [350° F.] At the end of the baking time - about 40-45 minutes - gently lift the top pasta layer, and add a ladleful of tomato sauce. Recover, and serve.

Cut a quantity of tripe, as much as necessary, into small pieces, and then place them in a frying pan with butter and cook over a high flame. Add bread crumbs to the butter mixture. then add vinegar, scallions, chopped parsley, a little mostarda [Artisan Note: If you cannot find mostarda in your Italian market, it may be left out, but the dish will be changed], mushrooms, salt and pepper.

Mix well and cook until the tripe is tender. Place the mixture in a large bowl, and add a little more than a tablespoon of cream for each pound of tripe used.