to cook birds, and that nearly always used by the Italians,
is roasted at the spit. They must be spitted with a small slice of bread
between each bird. Also wrap each bird in very thin slices of bacon, in
such a way that it can be spitted with this covering. Mind to slice the
bacon almost as thin as paper. Pass some oil--only once--over when they
begin to brown, using a brush or a feather, and salt only once,
moderately.

Put on the fire when near to be served, otherwise they may get dry and
lose much of their flavor. The cooking is rapidly done if on a good
fire.

133

ROAST OF LAMB

(Arrosto d'agnello)

Take a leg of lamb and season it with salt, pepper, oil and a drop of
vinegar. Pierce it here and there with the point of a knife and leave it
like this for several hours. Also lard it with bay leaf or rosemary to
be removed when serving. The leg of lamb can be baked or, as the
Italians do, cooked at the spit.

134

LEG OF MUTTON

(Cosciotto di castrato arrosto)

Before cooking see that several days elapse after the animal has been
butchered. This, naturally, according to the temperature. Beat it well
with a wooden mallet, then skin and remove the middle bone, without
spoiling the meat. Then tie it and give it a good fire at the beginning,
covering the fire when half cooked. Let it cook in its own juice and in
a cup of broth strained to remove the fat; nothing else. Salt when it is
almost cooked, but see that it is neither too well done nor rare, just
medium. Serve with its juice apart in a sauce.

135

ROAST OF HARE

(Arrosto di lepre)

The part of the hare fitted for roast is the hind quarters, but the
limbs of this game are covered with little skins that must be carefully
removed, before cooking, without cutting the muscles.

Before roasting keep it soaking for twelve or fourteen hours in a liquid
prepared as follows: put on the fire in a kettle three tumblers of water
with half a tumbler of vinegar or less in proportion with the piece to
be cooked, three of four scallions chopped fine, one or two bay-leaves,
a bunch of parsley, a little salt and a pinch of pepper; make it boil
for five or six minutes, cool and pour when cold over the hare. When you
remove the latter from the liquid wipe it and lard it all with little
pieces of good bacon.

Cook on a low fire, salt it sufficiently and grease with cream and
nothing else. Never use the liver of the hare which, it is said, is very
indigest