Farina Crusts Or Stands, Of Corn Meal, For Hot Or Cold Side Dishes

No. 713. - These crusts or stands are made either with bread, rice or Farina. Those made with Farina are better than those with rice, for hot dishes, as they are not so heavy, and are better than those made with bread, as the Farina does not absorb the moisture as quick as the bread when they lay for any length of time. Cook the Farina in water, lightly salted, keeping it firm. When it is cooked put it in a buttered mould as near the size of the crust as possible, that you intend making. Smooth the surface, cover it with a buttered paper, cover and put on this a wooden cover with a weight on top to press the Farina down solid in the mould. Lay it aside to get cold and hard. Then take it out of the mould, and with a small sharp knife cut it into any shape desired. Dip it in beaten eggs and then in fresh bread crumbs or raspings of bread, and fry it in hot lard until nicely browned. Then drain it and keep it for use.

Farina Tartlets Of Corn Meal

No. 714. - Cook the Farina as in No. 710, and keep it firm. Butter some small Tartlet moulds with clarified butter and set them in a cool place to let the butter get cold. Put the Farina into the moulds with a table knife, leaving a space in the center for filling. Fill the center with grated Parmesan cheese and smooth off the top. Then set them in a cool place, and when they are cold take them out of the moulds. Bread them in a mixture of half bread crumbs and half grated Parmesan cheese. Then dip them in beaten eggs and bread them again with the same mixture. Shape them well, then fry them in hot lard until nicely browned. Then drain them, dish them up on a napkin and serve them hot.

Farina Quenelles, Or Balls, Of Corn Meal

No. 715. - These are made nearly the same as Tartlets, except that Gruyere cheese is used instead of Parmesan cheese. When they are cold clip them in beaten eggs and fry them in hot lard. They may be used as a garniture or served the same as Tartlets.

Fried Farina (Polenta) Of Corn Meal, Ramequin

No. 716. - Cook one pound of Farina as in No. 710. When it is cooked take it off of the fire, add three ounces of butter divided into small pieces, and four ounces of grated Parmesan cheese. Season it with salt, pepper, nutmeg and a pinch of sugar, and mix it well together. Moisten the pan slightly with cold water and drop a soup-spoonful of the Polenta into it so it will spread out a little, and continue doing this until the bottom of the pan is well covered, keeping each cake separate. Put some grated Parmesan cheese in the center of each, or a small piece of Gruyere cheese. Now cover each piece with a thin layer of the Polenta and set the pan aside, so the cakes will get cold. With a cutter about the size of a dollar cut out the cakes to a round shape. Take them out of the pan, dip them in beaten eggs and then in bread crumbs. Put a little clarified butter in a frying pan, and when it is warm add the Ramequin (not putting too many in the pan at a time), and fry them on both sides to a nice brown. Serve them on a napkin with fried parsley as a garniture.

Farina (Polenta) For Garnitures

No. 717. - When the Polenta is cooked as in No. 710, put it in small round buttered Charlotte moulds and. keep them warm. Then turn them out and use them for large garnitures. They are especially appropriate for Italian dinners. Those prepared as in Nos. 713, 714, 715 and 716 can also be used as garnitures.

Farina Gruel

No. 718. - Boil one pint of water, milk or broth, and when boiling drop in it four soup-spoonfuls of Farina, stirring it well. Let it cook slowly for twenty-five minutes. Sweeten or season to taste.