Cacciatore Chicken Thighs with Whole Grain Pasta
Regionally, this braised dish can be prepared with or without chili pepper, with rabbit or dark chicken and with various add-in vegetables. My favorite basic recipe is the classic by Marcella Hazan from her Essentials cookbook: chicken, onion, garlic, wine, tomatoes, salt and pepper--basic and delicious. In my recipe, I love to use earthy mushrooms like lots of sautéed meaty cremini or portobellos or--even better and bigger in flavor--reconstituted porcini and their rich broth. Many Italian-American versions of the classic also include sweet or frying peppers. If I use red frying or stuffing peppers, I like to roast and peel them for a smoky addition.
- A fat handful of dried porcini mushrooms
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 12 chicken thighs
- Salt and pepper
- Flour, for dredging
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 to 4 large cloves garlic, sliced or chopped
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 cans Italian tomatoes
- A few leaves of basil, torn
- 1 pound farro or whole wheat pasta
- 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
- A handful of parsley, finely chopped
- Pecorino cheese, freshly grated