I love to cook. So, whenever I find a recipe that I think is worth making I like to share it with my friends.

One of my favorite cookbooks is THE CLASSIC ITALIAN COOK BOOK by Marcella Hazan. I first discovered it about 20 years ago, and I’ve used it ever since. I don’t think I’ve made anything from it that wasn’t perfectly delicious.

This week, Pat and I had our webmonkey Ray over for dinner, and I made these two recipes. I think you should try them as well. The most expensive ingredients are the dried wild mushrooms and the cheeses. But, they are worth every penny.

The only substitutions I can recommend is regarding the dried wild mushrooms. I think that blends are best – porccini, woods ear, shitake, oyster, etc – but in a pinch you can go to an Asian market and get simple dried shitake’s and they work fine. If you feel like splurging you can get all porccini’s and they are wonderful.

Don’t – please, please, please – don’t try to substitute icky parmesan cheese in the green can, and please don’t try to use plain blue cheese. It won’t be any good at all, in my opinion.

 

Chicken Fricassee with Dried Wild Mushrooms

Pollo coi funghi secci

Serves 4

1 ounce imported dried wild mushrooms (I use more)

1 frying chicken – about 2 ½ pounds (I use 6 chicken thighs)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons butter

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

½ cup dry white wine

3 tablespoons canned Italian tomatoes, coarsely chopped (I use 2 nice fresh plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped)

1.    Place the mushrooms in 2/3 cup lukewarm water. Let soak at least 15 to 20 minutes.

2.    Was the chicken under cold running water. Cut into quarters and dry thoroughly.

3.    Remove the mushrooms, reserving the water in which they have soaked. Filter the water by straining it through a paper towel placed in a fine sieve, and set aside. Rinse the mushrooms in cold running water three or four times, then chop them roughly and set aside.

4.    IN a heavy-bottomed skillet heat all the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter foam subsides, add the chicken quarters and brown them well on all sides over medium heat. Add salt and pepper, turning the chicken once or twice. Add the wine.

5.    When the wine has evaporated add the mushrooms, the water they have soaked in, and the chopped peeled tomatoes. Cover the skillet and cook at gentle heat for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender. Turn the chicken pieces over from time to time.

6.    Transfer the chicken to a warm platter. Tip the pan and draw off most of the fat with a spoon. If the sauce in the pan is too thin, boil it over high heat until it is concentrated. Off the heat, swirl in the remaining tablespoon of butter and pour the sauce over the chicken.

Fettuccine with Gorgonzola Sauce

Fettuccine al gorgonzola

For 6 persons

4 ounces gorgonzola

1/3 cup milk

3 tablespoons butter

Salt

Fettuccine – homemade or dried

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1.    Choose a shallow enameled iron pan, or other flameproof serving dish, that can later accommodate all the pasta. Put in the gorgonzola, milk, butter, and 2 teaspoons salt an turn on the heat to low. Mash the gorgonzola with a wooden spoon, and stir to incorporate it into the milk and butter. Cook for about 1 minute, until the sauce has a dense, creamy consistency. Turn off the heat and set aside until you are almost ready to add the pasta.

2.    Cook the pasta according to directions and to your own taste.

3.    Just seconds before the pasta is done, turn the heat under the sauce to low, and stir in the heavy cream. Add the drained, cooked pasta and toss with the sauce. Add all the grated cheese and mix into the pasta. Serve immediately, directly from the pan, with a bowl of additional grated cheese on the side.

I also serve these with peas or some other green vegetable to round it out to a full meal.

Enjoy!

 

~ SamSez