Primi Piatti

Remove gizzard, neck, heart, and liver from the inside of the chicken (wash with the rest of the chicken and save for chicken broth). Cut off and discard all visible fat. Cut the wings on the underside of the breast, guiding the knife so it will cut through the joints, then cut the legs using the same procedure. With a set of kitchen shears, cut along the back beginning on the side of the neck. Cut off both thighs so that only the breast is left. From the inside, make a small cut on the cartilage where the wishbone begins, then pull the breasts apart, remove the cartilage and cut off the wishbone. Now cut each breast in half. Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and sprinkle them with the salt, mix well and set aside. Pre-heat the oven at 375 degrees.

In the meantime, scrub the potato skins with a vegetable brush and water and cut them in half. Peel, wash and slice the onion, wash and chop the parsley. Rinse the chicken pieces, pat them dry with paper towels, and place them in a large baking dish. Add the potatoes and the rest of the ingredients, including salt and pepper, and cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove the foil. Stir the pieces and cook for 40 minutes or so, when the top of the chicken should be golden, then turn each piece over and stir the potatoes. Cook for an additional 20 minutes or until the potatoes are crispy and the chicken color is gold. Arrange on a serving platter and serve hot.

The neck and insides of the chicken contribute additional flavor to chicken broth and are tasty though different in texture from the chicken meat. In addition, they are delicious when cut in tiny peaces and added to pastina soup.

With chicken and fish, many people will recommend a white wine such as a chardonnay, but red wines are also complementary served alongside a rich chicken dish such as this one. A nice pinot or even a chianti would pair well with this dish.

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INVOLTINO DI BUE

(FLANK ROLL)

In a bowl, sprinkle the steak with the 3 tablespoons of salt, set aside. Soak the mushrooms in a bowl with water and a few pinches of salt for 10 minutes. Wash and chop the parsley, peel, wash and mince the garlic, wash and dice the tomato. Wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth or paper towel, rinse them and slice them. In a medium skillet, sauté the garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil (reserve the rest) for 2 minutes or until light gold, add the mushrooms and cook covered for 5 minutes or until the juices have come out of the mushrooms. Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Drain the juices from the mushrooms and return them to the stove, add 1 tablespoon olive oil (reserve the rest), add the eggs, and cook for 3 minutes stirring constantly. 

Preheat the oven at 375 degrees. Place the meat on a cutting board, spread the mushroom and egg, parsley, grated cheese, salt and pepper over it, leaving a ½-inch margin all around the perimeter. Begin rolling the meat, taking care to obtain a tight roll. Pin the edges with several toothpicks, or tie it with butcher’s string, then place it in a medium baking dish with the rest of the olive oil, the wine, the tomato, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover it, turn it and bake it uncovered for an additional 25 minutes. If it looks dry, add more wine or water, then turn it again and bake 25 more minutes to obtain an even gold color. Cool for 20 minutes, then cut in ½-inch slices, arrange on a serving platter, spoon some juice over the slices, and serve.

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SALSICCE E PEPERONI SOTT'ACETO

(SAUSAGE AND PEPPERS)

Peel, wash and cut the potatoes in 1½-inch cubes, pat them dry. Heat the oil in a large skillet; carefully add the potatoes, taking care not to splash hot oil. Fry at high heat, stirring frequently, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until golden, soft in the inside, crisp on the outside.

Meanwhile, peel, wash and slice the garlic; cut the sausage links in 6 or 7 pieces each; wash the peppers, remove the cores, seeds, and white membranes, cut them in ½-inch strips and pat them dry. With a slotted spoon, move the potatoes from the skillet to a paper towel-lined dish and set aside to drain.

Return the skillet to the stove and sauté the garlic in the remaining oil for 1 minute. Add the sausage pieces and pepper slices, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 12 to 15 minutes or until the sausages are cooked through; then add the cooked potatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serve hot with Italian bread.

NOTE: Pickled peppers can easily be made. Use any color sweet bell, wax, or Italian peppers. Simply fill any size jar with peppers (washed, cored and cut into cubes or strips (whole if they are small enough to fit in the jar), and cover with half water, half wine vinegar, plus salt (1 tablespoon per quart) and let them sit. Shake the jar every few days; can be used after a week. These peppers also make a flavorful addition to green salads.