Insalata di Arance [Orange Salad]

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Fettucini with Chicken and Caper Ragu

Back in the days before we had a baby, my husband and I traveled to Italy at least once a year. Lured by the aesthetic wonders of Rome and Tuscan towns, what really kept us coming back was the food. Many dishes on this blog are inspired from those days, including this super simple pasta dish.

Active cooking time: 20 minutes
Total cooking time: 40 minutes
Serves 3 adults

3 chicken breasts from Basic Chicken Breast for Baby Recipe [see Dec 16, 2008 post] cut into 1 inch pieces
Olive Oil
3 garlic cloves
400 gm tomato paste*
2 cups water or broth
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
2 Tbsp capers
1 Tbsp brine from the capers 
1 Serrano chili, chopped [optional]
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation: Peel and crush garlic. Heat pan, add 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil.  When oil is heated, add garlic and saute until garlic starts to brown. Add tomato paste, chili, and then broth or water. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover pot and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add capers, brine and chicken. Mix in chicken, wait until heated through, and serve over fettuccini.  

*In the summer, use fresh, pureed tomatoes instead of tomato paste, in which case you’ll need to use less broth or water.

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