Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking - Marcella Hazan [160]
3. The smaller, tapered piece has a white tendon that protrudes slightly from one end. It must be pulled out. Grasp the protruding tip of the tendon, using a bit of paper or the corner of a cloth towel because it is slippery. With the other hand press the knife blade against the muscle near the tendon, angling the blade to keep the edge from cutting. While pressing firmly with the knife, pull at the tendon, which will come out easily. Remove the tendon from the other small muscle in the same manner. Nothing more needs to be done to these pieces.
4. Place the larger muscle on a cutting board, with the side that was next to the bone facing down. Hold it flat with the palm of one hand. With the other hand take a sharp knife and slice the breast, moving the blade parallel to the cutting board, thus dividing the piece into two equal slices half its original thickness. Repeat the procedure with the other large muscle. You now have, from each whole breast, six tender fillets ready for cooking.
Ahead-of-time note You can prepare the fillets several hours or even a day or two in advance. Wrap in plastic wrap before refrigerating.
Rolled Fillets of Breast of Chicken with Pork and Rosemary Filling
For 4 to 6 servings
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ pound ground pork
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves OR 1 teaspoon dried
2 whole chicken breasts, filleted as directed
2 tablespoons butter
Sturdy round toothpicks
½ cup dry white wine
1. Lightly mash the garlic with a heavy knife handle, just hard enough to split the skin, which you will remove and discard. Put the garlic in a skillet together with the oil, turn on the heat to medium, and cook the garlic until it has become colored a pale gold. Add the ground pork, salt, pepper, and the rosemary leaves. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring and crumbling the meat with a fork. Discard the garlic and, using a slotted spoon or spatula, transfer the meat to a plate.
2. Lay the chicken fillets flat on a work surface and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the pork filling over the fillets, and roll up each fillet tightly. Fasten each roll with a toothpick inserted lengthwise.
3. Spoon off most of the fat from the pan in which you cooked the pork. (If you made the chicken rolls some time in advance, degrease the pan at that time, and reserve the juices in the pan for when you are ready to resume cooking.) Add the butter, turn the heat on to medium high, and when the butter foam begins to subside, slip in the chicken rolls. Cook them briefly, about 1 minute altogether, turning them to brown them all over. Transfer to a warm serving platter, using a slotted spoon or spatula, and remove the toothpicks.
4. Add the wine to the skillet, and while it simmers briskly for about half a minute, use a wooden spoon to scrape loose cooking residues from the bottom and sides of the pan. Pour the cooking juices over the chicken rolls and serve at once.
Ahead-of-time note The rolls can be prepared up to this point several hours in advance.
Sautéed Fillets of Breast of Chicken with Lemon and Parsley, Siena Style
For 4 to 6 servings
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
3 whole chicken breasts, filleted as directed
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
The freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Garnish: 1 lemon, sliced thin
1. Put the oil and 3 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet and turn on the heat to medium high. When the butter foam subsides, slip in as many of the chicken fillets as will fit loosely. Cook them briefly on both sides, less than 1 minute altogether. Transfer the fillets to a warm plate, using a slotted spoon or spatula,