Vermicelli Soup

A 16th century Italian Recipe, translated into English by Shannon Wanty

From Rosselli, Giovanne: Epulario: qual tratta del modo di cucinare ogni carne, vccelli, pesci, & ultra qualita di viuande (Altobello Salicato, Vinegia, 1596)

p12r Per fare menestre de vermicelli, & come si fanno. (To make soup of vermicelli.)

Make the pastry as is said above and make it into very small pieces and leave it to dry in the sun, and dry it for two or three years. And when you want to cook it, boil a pot of good meat broth, or else fatty chicken, for the space of an hour, and then make the soup. Note that if it is not a meat day you can cook it with almond milk, and with sugar, or else in goat's milk, and because this milk does not want to boil, first set your vermicelli to boil in a little water as you would make rice. Note also that you can similarly cook lasagne, or else fermentine. And all these types of pasta can be made yellow with saffron, except when they are cooked in milk.