Biba's Northern Italian Cooking - Biba Caggiano [42]
Fontina or Parmesan cheese paired with sage makes an intriguing combination.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
3 whole chicken breasts
6 slices (about ¼ pound) prosciutto, page 4
6 slices (about 2 ounces) Italian fontina cheese, or 6 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
3 fresh sage leaves
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 chicken bouillon cube, crushed
1 cup dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
⅓ cup whipping cream
Skin, bone and split chicken breasts. Put 1 slice prosciutto, 1 slice fontina cheese or 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, and half a sage leaf on each breast. Roll up chicken breasts and secure with wooden picks. Spread flour on aluminum foil. Dip chicken breasts in milk, then roll in flour to coat.
Melt butter with oil in a large skillet. When butter foams, add chicken breasts. Cook over medium heat until golden on all sides. Add bouillon cube and ½ cup of the wine to chicken. Season with salt and pepper and cook until wine is reduced by half. Add remaining wine. Cover skillet and reduce heat. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is tender.Turn chicken several times during cooking. Add a little more wine if sauce looks too dry.
Place chicken on a warm platter. Increase heat and add cream. Deglaze skillet by stirring to dissolve meat juices attached to bottom of skillet. Taste and adjust sauce for seasoning, then spoon over chicken. Serve immediately.
CHICKEN BREASTS WITH MARSALA WINE
Petti di Pollo al Marsala
Elegant yet economical, this dish is an all-time favorite.
MAKES 8 SERVINGS
4 whole chicken breasts
2 eggs
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1½ cups dry unflavored bread crumbs
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry Marsala wine or port
Remove skin from chicken breasts. Ease flesh away from bones with a sharp knife. Cut boned breasts in half. Beat eggs with salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Spread on aluminum foil. Dip chicken breasts in beaten eggs, then coat with bread crumb mixture. Press mixture onto chicken with the palms of your hands. Let coated chicken stand 10 to 15 minutes.
Melt butter with oil in a large heavy skillet.When butter foams, add chicken breasts. Cook over medium heat until chicken has a light-golden crust, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Add Marsala or port. Cover skillet and reduce heat. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is tender. If sauce looks too dry, add a little more Marsala or port. Turn chicken several times during cooking.
Place chicken on a warm platter. Taste and adjust sauce for seasoning, then spoon over chicken. Serve immediately.
CHICKEN HUNTER STYLE
Pollo alla Cacciatora
This is the way we make this popular dish in Emilia-Romagna.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1 ounce dried wild Italian mushrooms or ½ pound fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup warm water, if using dried mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil, if using fresh mushrooms
2 cups canned crushed Italian-style or whole tomatoes
1 (3- to 3½-pound) frying chicken, cut into serving pieces
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
¼ pound pancetta, page 4, cut into
4 slices and diced
¾ cup dry Marsala wine or dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
If using dried mushrooms, soak in warm water 20 minutes. Drain mushrooms, reserving liquid. Strain mushroom liquid. Rinse mushrooms under cold running water. Squeeze to remove as much moisture as possible. If using fresh mushrooms, sauté in 2 tablespoons oil until golden; set aside.
Press tomatoes through a food mill or sieve to remove seeds.
Wash and dry chicken pieces thoroughly. Spread flour on aluminum foil. Coat chicken pieces with flour. Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons oil in a large heavy casserole. Add garlic and chicken. Brown chicken on all sides over medium heat. Discard garlic. Remove chicken from casserole. Add onion to casserole and sauté until pale yellow. Add