Margi Cintrano
Washing Up
PACCHERI PASTA WITH SAFFRON CHICKEN Fashionable ingredients may come and go, however, Italian Pasta is here forever. This tasty trattoria recipe had been given to my daughters by Restaurateurs Isaac Becker and Nancy Saint Pierre at Bar La Grassa in Minneapolis, Minnesota ( translation of La Grassa is Fat ), while we were visiting a dear designer friend of the family in St. Paul, Minnesota back in 2010. Here is the recipe.
For 4 to 6 servings.
3 pounds of chicken thighs or breasts 2 tblsps Evoo ( extra virgin olive oil )
2 cups chopped shallots or leeks or spring onions
6 Garlic cloves peeled and crushed
2 cups Dry Italian White Wine
1 tablespoon of saffron threads ( soak in 115 degree farenheit water for 10 to 15 minutes )
2 cups of homemade chicken stock
500 grams or 1 pound of Paccheri, which are a shorter large rigatoni short pasta
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
2 tblsps. fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup of fresh chopped finely basil
1. sprinkle chicken with salt and freshly ground blk pepper.
2. heat evoo in skillet over medium high heat and add chicken skin side down, and cook until golden about 7 minutes per side.
3. transfer chicken to platter
4. add onion of choice to drippings in skillet and sauté until softened, 7 mins. and then, add the garlic and sauté until tender.
5. Add the dry white wine, and the saffron liquid with the threads to the skillet and Boil liquid until thickened and reduced by less than half about 8 mins.
6. add 2 cups stock, and return the chicken pieces to skillet
7. reduce heat to simmer low and cover the skillet
8. simmer and cook for 1/2 hour until chicken tender
9. turn over chicken pieces and recover and cook another 1/2 hour ( 1 hour total )
10. reserve the juices in the skillet
11. remove chicken, and discard the skin and the bones
12. shred chicken into hefty strips
13. cook paccheri until tender yet firm to bite in boiling salted water
14. spoon off fat / grease and discard.
15. add the cream to the juices in the skillet
16. boil until sauce is reduced to 2 1/4 cups
17. stir in 2 tblsps of fresh lemon juice and and add the chicken pieces
18. simmer for 10 minutes and combine flavors
19. stir over medium low heat, and add more stock and salt, and freshly ground blk. pep. Simmer another 5 minutes and add this chicken mixture to the Paccheri.
20. toss and sprinkle the fresh basil.
21. serve with crusty hot oven bread and White Italian wine that you cooked with or Prosecco.
*** Reggiano Parmesano or Pecorino Sardo: optional to grate on top of the dish. There is no sub for white wine; if you do not wish the ingredient, leave it out or use Non Alchoholic Wine.
I have also made Paccheri with Large Prawns, Cherry Tomatoes and Spinach ... Best regards, Enjoy.
Ciao.
Margaux Cintrano.
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