It’s just like aunty makes
Crumbs bring something special to this beautiful Italian recipe
POLLO a Nissena is my version of an old recipe from the centre of Sicily used by my Sicilian Zia (aunt). My aunt is always crumbing fish, meat and fillets of chicken and baking them in the oven as it is one of the simple ways of enjoying chicken that we all love. You could say that this is a grown-ups version of crispy fried chicken.
I love using crusts or crumbs for texture and especially infusing them with flavour and keeping foods moist. I feel that there is no excuse for just using plain old bread crumbs when you can add a few herbs, some aged pecorino cheese and lemons to really bring life to a crust. The herb broth from this recipe can also be used for a chicken stock in a soup so don’t go throwing it away.
Pollo a Nissena
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
Chicken:
◗ 1 whole chicken broken up into pieces, breasts, thighs, legs
◗ 3 tbs olive oil
◗ 1 whole onion, peeled and sliced
◗1 carrot, sliced
◗ 2 stalks celery, sliced
◗ ½ bunch parsley
◗ 5 sage leaves
◗ 1 stalk of rosemary
◗ 2 stalks of thyme
◗ 2 bay leaves ◗ 3 cloves of smashed garlic
◗ 1⁄3 cup olive oil for frying
Crumb:
◗ 2 eggs whisked with 1 tbs water
◗ 3 cups (200g) fine fresh bread crumbs
◗ 1⁄3 cup grated pecorino cheese
◗ 1 cup loosely packed flat leaf parsley, leaves picked
◗ 1 large clove of garlic
◗ zest of 1 lemon
◗ salt and pepper
METHOD: Heat the oil in pot large enough to hold the chicken. Add in the onion, carrots, celery and sweat off the vegetables until they just start to colour.
Add in the herbs and garlic and place the chicken into the pot. Pour over enough water to just cover the chicken and season the water with salt and pepper.
Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover then cook the chicken for 50 minutes on a very low simmer until the chicken is tender. Remove the chicken and sit it on paper towel to cool slightly.
Beat the eggs and water in a bowl. If you have a food processor, blend the breadcrumbs, pecorino cheese, parsley, lemon zest and garlic until well combined but still crumbly and season with salt and pepper.
Pour the bread crumbs into a second dish or bowl. Remove any fat from the chicken and dip the chicken into the egg mixture, then press into the breadcrumbs to coat evenly. Heat the oil in a heavy based pan and fry the chicken until golden. Serve hot.