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Chicken with Polenta

A historical recipe from Simple Italian Cookery, by Antonia Isola.

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A historical recipe

Simple Italian Cookery, by Antonia Isola. Project Gutenberg eBook #6385.

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 3 ingredients

  1. a pinch of allspice
  2. a glass of red
  3. one tablespoon of the tomato paste

Cook safely

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

  • 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

  1. Take a small chicken;
  2. clean and prepare it.
  3. Take a slice of ham fat four fingers wide and one finger long (or one tablespoon of good lard).
  4. Chop up very fine with a chopping knife, and put into a good-sized saucepan.
  5. Take one-half an onion, a small carrot, a piece of celery, and cut all into very small pieces and add them all to the fat.
  6. Then put in the chicken, the salt, pepper, and a pinch of allspice, and cover the saucepan.
  7. Cook until the chicken is covered, basting with the grease, and turning the chicken until it is brown on all sides;
  8. then add one-third of a glass of red or white wine.
  9. When the wine has become absorbed, add one tablespoon of the tomato paste, dissolved in a cup of hot water (or a cup of tomato sauce not too thick).
  10. Cook for a few moments more--until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.
  11. Prepare the Indian meal as in receipt for Indian meal, and serve the chicken surrounded by the Indian meal, with the sauce poured over all and grated cheese sprinkled over the Indian meal.
  12. Pigeon may be prepared in the same way as the chicken and served with the Indian meal;
  13. or either one may be served instead of the Indian meal with rice, as in receipt for Risotto alla Nostrale;
  14. Macaroni, as in receipt for Macaroni with Butter, or Ribbon Macaroni, as in receipt given.

Plating

Cookware for this recipe

  • Saucepan
  • Chef's knife
  • Cutting board
  • Grater
  • Pastry brush
Source Public domain in the USA
Credit

From Simple Italian Cookery, by Antonia Isola. Digitised by Project Gutenberg, eBook #6385 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/6385). Public domain in the USA; its status may differ elsewhere.

What was changed: As printed, from the book's text; Project Gutenberg's header and licence removed. Ingredient lines were read out of the text by a program. A historical recipe, not current advice.