OPERA SINGER WITH REPUTATION AS COOK GIVES ITALIAN RECIPES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27079, 13 May 1949, Page 2

OPERA SINGER WITH REPUTATION AS COOK GIVES ITALIAN RECIPES

NOTES FOR WOMEN

Signora Mercedes Fortunati, who sang the title role in “Madame Butterfly ” this week has other talents in addition to those she displays in opera. In search of Italian recipes—and of someone who could speak English sufficiently well to communicate ingredients and method, the lady editor of the Daily Times was immediately directed to Signora Fortunati. As one male singer expressed it, with a wealth of gesture incommunicable on paper, “we others just cook meals for ourselves, but she —she is a wonderful cook, she can do everything.”

An animated discussion, in Italian, on the dozen or so different ways of making “ pasta ” was in progress when Fortunati was located in her dressing room. After some initial difficulty with the word “recipes,” and some further stops for demonstrations when the correct word for shredding and chopping was not forthcoming, everything went smoothly. Each day Signora Fortunati makes “ tagliatelle.” This is used instead of spaghetti and is made with about lib of white flour and two eggs. The eggs are beaten up, mixed with the flour, and the whole is kneaded, with the fingers until it is soft and pliable. Then it is rolled out until it is very thin, making a large sheet of fine pastry. It must then be left for halt an hour, and at the end of that time it is folded over in folds of about 3in, and then cut through with a sharp knife, forming long strips. During this part of the recipe a long white scarf and .a Japanese dagger, used as ■ “ props ” in the last act of “ Madame Butterfly ” were brought into play to demonstrate the folding and cutting. . . ~ , , The “ tagliatelle ” is quickly cooked in boiling water, to which has been added a pinch of salt. The cooking takes two or three minutes, and the dish is served with melted butter and cheese. Instead of Italian wine, which is unobtainable in New Zealand, Signora Fortunati takes a glass of port, Australian or New Zealand, which she finds very good. , . . Steaks are very popular, cooked in the frying pan, and preferably rubbed

with a piece of garlic. They are fried in butter and a teaspoonful of Worcestershire sauce. The last recipe is a great favourite. It is cotolette di vitello (veal chops). Take one green pepper and shred firtely; chop two medium onions and two tomatoes and fry slowly in a little butter for about 10 minutes. Then add four or five veal chops seasoned with salt and pepper and cook slowly for half an hour.