Chicken Alla Cacciatora

A historical recipe from The Italian Cook Book The Art of Eating Well, by Maria Gentile (1919).

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A historical recipe

The Italian Cook Book The Art of Eating Well; Practical Recipes of the Italian Cuisine, Pastries, Sweets, Frozen Delicacies, and Syrups, by Maria Gentile (1919). Project Gutenberg eBook #24407.

From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards.

Italy

Known as an Italian recipe, with similar versions prepared across other nations.

Ingredients 2 ingredients

one pint fresh
one large onion

Cook safely

Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.

Hot oil. Never put water on an oil fire: turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid or a damp tea towel. Pat food dry before it goes into hot oil, and lower it in gently, away from you.
Boiling water and steam. Turn pan handles inward, away from the edge of the hob. Lift lids away from you, and pour hot water away from your body: steam burns too.
Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.

Method

Chop one large onion and keep it for more than half an hour in cold water, then dry it and brown it aside.
Cut up a chicken, sprinkle the pieces with flour, salt and pepper and sauté, in the fat which remains in the frying pan.
When the chicken is brown add one pint fresh or canned tomatoes and half a dozen sweet green peppers and put back the onion.
When the gravy is thick enough add hot water to prevent the burning of the vegetables.
Cover the pan tightly and simmer until the chicken is very tender.
This is an excellent way to cook tough chickens.
Fowls which have been boiled may be cooked in this way, but of course young and tender chickens will have the finer flavor.

Plating

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Cookware for this recipe

Frying pan
Saucepan
Chef's knife
Cutting board