meat must be put in cold water, and then
allowed to boil slowly. Add to the meat some pieces of bones and "soup
greens" as, for instance, celery, carrots and parsley. To give a brown
color to the broth, some sugar, first browned at the fire, then diluted
in cold water, may be added.

While it is not considered that the broth has much nutritive power, it
is excellent to promote the digestion. Nearly all the Italian soups are
made on a basis of broth.

A good recipe for substantial broth to be used for invalids is the
following: Cut some beef in thin slices and place them in a large
saucepan; add some salt. Pour cold water upon them, so that they are
entirely covered. Cover the saucepan so that it is hermetically closed
and place on the cover a receptacle containing water, which must be
constantly renewed. Keep on a low fire for six hours, then on a strong
fire for ten minutes. Strain the liquid in cheese cloth.

The soup stock, besides being used for soups, is a necessary ingredient
in hundreds of Italian dishes.

2

SOUP OF "CAPPELLETTI"

This Soup is called of "=Cappelletti=" or "little hats" on account of
the shape of the "=Cappelletti=".

First a thin sheet of paste is made according to the following
directions:

The best and most tender paste is made simply of eggs, flour and salt,
water may be substituted for part of the eggs, for economy, or when a
less rich paste is needed. Allow about a cup of flour to an egg. Put the
flour on a bread board, make a hollow in the middle and break in the
egg. Use any extra whites that are on hand. Knead it thoroughly, adding
more flour if necessary, until you have a paste you can roll out. Roll
it as thin as an eighth of an inch. A long rolling pin is necessary, but
any stick, well scrubbed and sand papered, will serve in lieu of the
long Italian rolling pin.

Cut from this sheet of paste rounds measuring about three inches in
diameter. In the middle of each circle place a spoonful of filling that
must be made beforehand, composed of cooked meat (chicken, pork or veal)
ground very fine and seasoned with grated cheese, grated lemon peel,
nutmeg, allspice, salt. The ground meat is to be mixed with an equal
amount of curds or cottage cheese.

When the filling is placed in the circle of paste, fold the latter over
and moisten the edge of the paste with the finger dipped in water to
make it stay securely closed.

These =cappelletti= should be cooked in chicken or beef