Free Patsy's Italian Family Cookbook by Sal Scognamillo

ground black pepper
    1. Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the asparagus and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again on paper towels.
    2. Spread the flour on a plate. Coat the chicken in the flour, shake off the excess, and transfer the chicken to a clean plate.
    3. Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering but not smoking. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
    4. Carefully pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the skillet. Stir in the vodka sauce, stock, artichoke hearts, and reserved asparagus. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the chicken shows no sign of pink when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter and pour the sauce on top. Serve hot.

Classic Chicken Cacciatore
MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Here’s the traditional recipe for chicken cacciatore, loaded with mushrooms. Did you know that cacciatore means “hunter” in Italian? The original chicken cacciatore got its name because it featured wild mushrooms foraged from the forest.

    ½ cup all-purpose flour
    One 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 serving slices
    ¼ cup olive oil
    10 ounces white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
    1 small yellow onion, chopped
    2 cups Tomato Sauce
    1½ cups Chicken Stock or reduced-sodium store-bought chicken broth
    ¼ cup dry white wine
    ¼ cup dry Marsala
    1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    Salt and freshly ground black pepper
    1. Spread the flour on a plate. Coat the chicken in the flour, shake off the excess, and put the chicken on a clean plate.
    2. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
    3. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the oil in the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Add the mushrooms and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
    4. Add the tomato sauce, stock, wine, Marsala, and butter and bring to a boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the chicken shows no sign of pink when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter, top with the sauce, and serve hot.

Chicken Contadina with Sausage and Peppers
MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Here’s a dish that has many variations, but we call the basic recipe contadina, which means “countryside” in Italian, because it is the perfect example of the kind of rustic cooking that we love. It doesn’t have a sauce, just separately cooked potatoes, sausage, and vegetables brought together with a splash of broth and a sprinkle of parsley. For a spicy version, use hot sausage and substitute 8 fresh or pickled red cherry peppers, seeded and chopped, for the bell peppers. Without the potatoes, it is sometimes called scarpariello, which means “shoemaker-style,” and could mean that dish that is “cobbled” together.

    10 ounces sweet Italian pork sausage, 2–3 links, pierced with a fork
    2 large baking potatoes, (about 1¼ pounds), peeled, and cut into ½-inch cubes (or use a melon baller to create the balls)
    4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
    2 chicken breast halves, with skin and bone (each about 12 ounces)
    3 chicken thighs, with skin and bone (each about 5 ounces)
    salt and freshly ground pepper
    2 large red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into ½-inch-wide strips
    10 ounces white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
    6 garlic cloves, minced
    ½ cup Chicken Stock or reduced-sodium store-bought chicken broth
    ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
    ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
    1. Position a broiler rack