Spaghetti Or Macaroni With Butter And Cheese Recipe

(Pasta al burro e formaggio)

This is the simplest form in which the spaghetti may be served, and it

is generally reserved for the thickest paste. The spaghetti are to be

boiled until tender in salted water, taking care to remove them when

tender, and not cooked until they lose form. They should not be put into

the water until this is at a boiling point.

Take as much macaroni as will half fill the dish in which it is to be

served. Break into pieces two and a half to three inches long if you so

desire. The Italians leave them unbroken, but their skill in turning

them around the fork and eating them is not the privilege of

everybody. Put the macaroni into salted boiling water, and boil twelve

to fifteen minutes, or until the macaroni is perfectly soft. Stir

frequently to prevent the macaroni from adhering to the bottom. Turn it

into a colander to drain; then put it into a pudding-dish with a

generous quantity of butter and grated cheese. If more cheese is liked,

it can be brought to the table so that the guests can help themselves to

it.

The macaroni called "Mezzani" which is a name designating size, not

quality, is the preferable kind for macaroni dishes made with butter and

cheese.