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Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 40 Minutes |
Ready In: 50 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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The origins of this dish are uncertain, but many people believe that it is Italian-American, not Italian, and was invented by a Southern Italian chef in New York, where it is standard fare in every neighborhood. The recipe below was obtained from a friend in Sicily. Dishes called scarpariello, which means shoemaker style, are made in Southern Italy. The iello ending is definitely a Southern language ending. Saying shoemaker-style in Naples or Bari either means that the dish is so meager it could even be made by the family of a poor shoemaker, or it contains such prosaic ingredients that it can easily be cobbled together. In its most Italian version, such as the following, it is no more than fried chicken chunks on the bone, lightly glazed with a lemon-wine sauce. Often, chunks of pork sausage, sweet pepper strips, even mushrooms are added to the dish, which makes it anything but humble. Sometimes the dish is saucy, which makes it more American than Italian. Without question, chicken cooked on the bone this way is significantly more succulent than chicken cooked off the bone. Some restaurants serve it boneless and dry anyway. I'd say this is not a dish for you if you don't like to pick at chicken on the bone. Ingredients:
1 (2 1/2-3 lb) chicken, cut into pieces |
1 cup all-purpose flour |
salt & pepper |
1 teaspoon oregano |
4 tablespoons olive oil |
3 garlic cloves, peeled & sliced |
1/2 cup chopped onion |
1 sprig fresh rosemary |
1 cup chicken broth |
1/2 cup white wine |
1 lemon, juice of |
3 tablespoons softened butter |
1 tablespoon flour |
1/4 cup fresh parsley |
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Mix together the flour and oregano, and season with salt and pepper.
2. Rinse and dry the chicken pieces, and then dredge them lightly in the seasoned flour mixture.
3. In a heavy, ovenproof skillet, large enough to hold all of the chicken pieces, heat the olive oil, and then brown the chicken well on all sides over medium heat. Be careful not to burn the oil.
4. Once all of the pieces are well browned, remove them to a plate. Pour out the left over oil in the pan, leaving just a tablespoon or two with the browned bits at the bottom. Add the onion and cook until soft, and then add the garlic. As soon as the garlic begins to sizzle, add the wine, and stir the browned bits at the bottom while you reduce the wine by half over medium high heat. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Break up the rosemary into pieces, and add it to the sauce. Return the chicken pieces to the skillet, and spoon the sauce over top.
5. Bake the chicken until done, about 20 minutes.
6. Remove the chicken to a warmed platter, and bring the remaining sauce to a boil. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Mix the tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of softened butter. Add the remaining butter to the sauce in the skillet, and mix well. Remove the rosemary pieces from the sauce. If the sauce is thin, stir in a little of the flour and butter mixture, whisking continuously to prevent lumps.
7. Once the sauce has thickened, add the chopped parsley, and pour the sauce over the chicken on the platter. Serve immediately.
8. That's it!
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