MACARONI, as usually served with the CHEESE COURSE (I)

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb pipe macaroni
• 1/4 lb butter
• 6 oz Parmesan or Cheshire cheese
• pepper and salt to taste
• 1 pint milk
• 2 pint water
• bread crumbs

Instructions

1. Put the milk and water into a saucepan with sufficient salt to flavour it;
2. place it on the fire, and, when it boils quickly, drop in the macaroni.
3. Keep the water boiling until it is quite tender;
4. drain the macaroni, and put it into a deep dish.
5. Have ready the grated cheese, either Parmesan or Cheshire;
6. sprinkle it amongst the macaroni and some of the butter cut into small pieces, reserving some of the cheese for the top layer.
7. Season with a little pepper, and cover the top layer of cheese with some very fine bread crumbs.
8. Warm, without oiling, the remainder of the butter, and pour it gently over the bread crumbs.
9. Place the dish before a bright fire to brown the crumbs;
10. turn it once or twice, that it may be equally coloured, and serve very hot.
11. The top of the macaroni may be browned with a salamander, which is even better than placing it before the fire, as the process is more expeditious; but it should never be browned in the oven, as the butter would oil, and so impart a very disagreeable flavour to the dish.
12. In boiling the macaroni, let it be perfectly tender but firm, no part beginning to melt, and the form entirely preserved.
13. It may be boiled in plain water, with a little salt instead of using milk, but should then have a small piece of butter mixed with it.