Recipe of the Week
By Mary Kay Radnich

Chicken & Pasta Corniche

With the rich flavors of the Mediterranean in this dish, you can imagine yourself sitting al fresco along the corniche in Alexandria, watching the boats in the harbor, as you enjoy this tasty dish!

• 1 large chicken, cut into 8 pieces and skinned, about 5 pounds ( or 5 pounds of skinless, bone-in chicken breasts  if you prefer all white meat)

• 1 Tb. olive oil

• 2 large onions, finely chopped

• 2-3 garlic cloves, mashed

• 2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (roma tomatoes are good for this)

• 1/2 c. dry red wine

• 1 Tb. wine vinegar

• 3 whole cloves

• 2 bay leaves

• pinch paprika

• pinch cinnamon

• 1 lb. pasta noodles, such as macaroni or other shaped pasta

• 1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesean

• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

-Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot and brown the chicken in batches, over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set aside.

-Add the onions and garlic and saute', stirring occasionally or until softened.

-Add 1 2/3 c. water, tomatoes, wine, vinegar, cloves, bay leaves, paprika and cinnamon and bring to a boil. Add chicken, cover and simmer until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear, about 45 minutes.

-Remove the chicken and keep warm. Remove the bay leaves and cloves from the sauce and discard. Skim the fat from the sauce and set sauce aside.

-Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water according to package directions. Drain and stir into the sauce and heat through.  Adjust seasonings if necessary.  Serve pasta with grated parmesan and with the chicken.
Serves 8.