Recipe of the Week: Spaghetti alla Carettiera (Farmer’s Pasta)
This is a peasant dish fit for a king and truly a meal in itself. If the marriage of potatoes and pasta leaves you wondering, you will become a believer once you taste it. Serves eight. (Chef tip: To clean a portobello mushroom, use a spoon to remove the gills from the underside and wash under running cold water.)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup
1 chicken breast, skinless and boneless
1/4 cup pancetta, chopped
1 large portobello mushroom, cleaned and sliced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 sweet red peppers, sliced thin
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces spaghetti pasta
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Brush chicken breasts with 1 tablespoon olive oil and grill for 10 minutes on each sides. Set aside. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a 12-inch skillet and add mushroom, onion, peppers, potatoes, pancetta and garlic. Cook over medium heat for five minutes. Set aside.
Sprinkle on nutmeg and mustard. Add wine, broth and Worcestershire sauce. Cook at high heat for 10 minutes to reduce sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Slice chicken breasts and add to sauce.
Bring a 12-quart pot of water to a boil. Add salt, then pasta and cook until “al dente.” Drain pasta and toss pasta with sauce. Sprinkle with rosemary and cheese and serve.