Internet surfing and research sometime turn up the most amazing unknown to me new recipes. It was October 4, Feast of St.Francis of Assisi and so I thought I would be fun to make something from his homeland, UMBRIA in Central Italy. I knew I had chicken parts in the fridge, some San Marzano tomatoes, so something that used those items would work. Now I could have just made an ItalianAmerican Chicken Cacciatore, I had a bit of a craving for that. But no. I wanted to celebrate the day and the region in St.Francis’ honor after all my middle name is Francis. After a full Google search of Chicken and tomato dishes from Umbria one dish kept coming up to the top of the search. FRICCO’ or FRICO’, apparently it’s spelled both ways showed up more than once and with two versions. One version is BIANCO, meaning in a white wine and herb sauce. The other was ROSSO, meaning Tomato is in the mix. Sounds like Chicken alla Cacciatora to me right? Well, the process is the same but they take a bit of a turn which is just enough to make this not your usual cacciatora. Pancetta or Guanciale or Prosciutto and Anchovy in the mix. I was SOLD and couldn’t wait to come home from work and create this wonderful sounding dish! By the way, FRICCO’ or FRICO’ is Umbrian for the French word, FRICANDEAU, a type of stew. Many versions of this are made with a trio of meats..Lamb, Rabbit, and Chicken. Others are made with just one. This Umbrian version doesn’t bear much resemblance to the French beef or veal versions, but love how they word was borrowed and localized. Other names for this dish are Pollo all’Eugubina or Pollo di Gubbio, Gubbio being a major city in Umbria. Don’t you find a dish is more exciting to cook and tastes even better when there’s a wonderful history behind it?
FRICCO’ DI POLLO EUGUBINA GUBBIO STYLE CHICKEN WITH CURED PORK, TOMATO, HERBS, VINEGAR, WINE AND A LITTLE ANCHOVY
SERVES 4-6 APPROX. TIME 2 HOURS
1 LARGE CHICKEN CUT INTO 8 PIECES, PATTED DRY WITH A PAPER TOWEL
1/8 LB DICED OR SLICED PANCETTA, OR GUANCIALE, OR PROSCIUTTO WITH SOME FAT ATTACHED
1 CUP WHOLE “PELATI”, PEELED ITALIAN PLUM TOMATOES
1/4 CUP WHITE WINE VINEGAR
1 CUP DRY WHITE WINE, USE ONE FROM UMBRIA, LIKE AN ORVIETO
2 CLOVES OF GARLIC, SLICED
1 SPRIG FRESH ROSEMARY
4 FRESH SAGE LEAVES
1 ANCHOVY FILET
PINCH OF PEPERONCINO
1/2 CUP CHICKEN OR VEGETABLE STOCK
SALT TO TASTE
OLIVE OIL, AS NEEDED
Season the chicken with salt. In a heavy skillet or dutch oven heat 2 tbs of olive oil. Add the chicken skin side down and let it get a good sear over medium heat. Takes about 8 minutes. Flip and sear that side for 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with 1/2 the wine. Remove with the pan juices to a bowl. Add more olive oil to the pan and add the cured meat, saute’ for 6 minutes until it starts to caramelize. Add the garlic and the rosemary and peperoncino, and the anchovy. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the wine and vinegar and 3 of the sage leaves. Bring to a boil and add the tomatoes. Stir well. Bring to the boil and add the chicken pieces skin side down. Add the stock and again, bring to a boil then reducing and letting this braise on a simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. Taste the sauce for seasonings and adjust as necessary. When the chicken it tender and cooked throw in the remaining sage leave and remove the sprig of rosemary. There’s such umami in this dish with the cured pork and anchovy, there’s a bit of “agrodolce” going on too. That’s sweet/sour. What to serve it with? As you can see in my picture I made it with Parmigiano and Garlic Mashed Potatoes. Roasted potatoes, Rice, Pasta, up to you….but…the mashed were amazing with it. Chicken will taste best if you leave it to sit for 1 /2 hour before serving. You’ll thank me. Garnish with the pan juices, olive oil and fresh rosemary. HAPPY COOKING!!!
A FOOD OBSESSION 