Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

1 ea Chicken (about 3 to 3.5 lbs) -preferably homemade
4 oz Pancetta or prosciutto; in 4 oz Almonds; blanched
-one piece 2 tb Unbleached all-purpose flour
1 md Red onion; cleaned 1 ts (heaping) Fennel seeds
1/4 c Olive oil x Salt and freshly ground e
2 c Chicken broth or meat broth; -pepper to taste

TRIVIA: In the introduction of his book, the author notes that
chicken with fennel seeds and almonds is the oldest known Italian
chicken recipe, dating at least as far as the 14th century.
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Cut the chicken into 8 pieces, then rinse very carefully and dry with
paper towels. Cut the pancetta into tiny pieces and coarsely chop
the onion.

Heat the olive oil in a flameproof casserole, then add the pancetta
and onion and saute over medium heat until golden brown. Add the
chicken pieces and let them saute until light golden brown on both
sides (about 15 minutes).

While the chicken is sauteing, heat the broth in a saucepan. When the
broth is hot, lower the heat and put in the blanched almonds. Let the
almonds and the broth remain over low heat until needed.

When the chicken pieces are ready, sprinkle them with flour. Wait a
few seconds, then pour in the hot broth and almonds. Taste for salt
and pepper, then add the fennel seeds and let everything simmer
together for 25 to 30 minutes, until completely cooked, stirring
every few minutes.

Remove the casserole from the heat, transfer the chicken and sauce to
a serving dish and serve hot.

This dish is even better the next day, reheated, or served cold for a
family dinner.

NOTE: sometimes chickens have a great deal of fat. If there is more
than a thin layer at the top, remove excess before transferring
chicken and sauce to a serving dish.

Serves 4.

From: Giuliano Bugialli, "The Fine Art of Italian Cooking," (Times
Books, 1989, $25.95) as reported in THE BALTIMORE SUN and seen in THE
OLYMPIAN, 9/13/95.

Meal-Master format provided by iRis gRayson.
Submitted By IRIS GRAYSON On 09-23-95

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