1,000 Italian Recipes by Michele Scicolone

Author:Michele Scicolone
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 2011-03-29T20:00:00+00:00

Stuffed Chicken in Ragù

Pollo Ripieno al Ragù

Makes 6 servings

My grandmother used to make chicken this way for holidays and special occasions. The stuffing not only flavors the chicken from within, but any that spills out into the sauce gives it extra flavor.

A generous amount of sauce will surround the chicken. You can set it aside to serve with pasta for another meal.

8 ounces spinach, trimmed

8 ounces ground veal

1 large egg, beaten

1⁄4 cup plain dry bread crumbs

1⁄4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 chicken (31⁄2 to 4 pounds)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1⁄2 cup dry white wine

1 (28-ounce) can peeled tomatoes, passed through a food mill

1 bay leaf

1. Put the spinach in a large pot over medium heat with 1⁄4 cup of water. Cover and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until wilted and tender. Drain and cool. Wrap the spinach in a lint-free cloth and squeeze out as much water as possible. Finely chop the spinach.

2. In a large bowl, combine the chopped spinach, the veal, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

3. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry. Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Fill the chicken cavity loosely with the stuffing.

4. In a large heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chicken breast-side down. Cook 10 minutes or until browned. Turn the chicken breast-side up. Scatter the onion around the chicken and brown, about 10 minutes more. Scatter any leftover stuffing around the chicken. Add the wine and simmer 1 minute. Pour the tomatoes, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste over the chicken. Lower the heat and partially cover the pan. Cook 30 minutes.

5. Carefully turn the chicken. Cook partially covered 30 minutes more. If the sauce is too thin, uncover the pan. Cook 15 minutes more, or until the chicken comes away from the bone when tested with a fork.

6. Remove the chicken from the sauce. Carve the chicken and arrange it on a platter. Skim the fat from the sauce with a large spoon or with a fat separator. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken and serve hot.

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