Chicken Valdostana

The Valle d'Aosta, is a small region in the far Northwest of Italy, in the western Alps between Switzerland and France. This recipe is loosely based on a 2001 "Petto di Pollo alla Valdostana con Lenticchie Brasate" recipe published by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich.

Preparation & cooking time: 90 minutes
Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for the chicken dish:
4 chicken breasts filets, about 200 grams each (7 oz))
8 thin slices of prosciutto - enough to entirely cover one side of the chicken breasts after pounding them
8 slices of cheese (e.g., Gruyere) - enough to entirely cover one side of the chicken breasts after pounding them
4 tablespoons of tomato paste (1 small can or a tube of paste)
Several tablespoons of all-purpose flour
Butter and olive oil
Salt and pepper

Ingredients for the lentil dish:
200 grams (1 cup) of lentils
I prefer the small green round "French" lentils
500 grams (1 lb) of frozen, coarsely chopped spinach, thawed out and very well drained
You will probably have to do quite a bit of squeezing to get most of the water out (about half the weight) - frozen spinach is mostly water....
Do not use finely chopped or "creamed" spinach!
2 medium sized yellow onions, cleaned and diced (about 300 grams, 10 oz)
2 medium sized carrots, cleaned and diced (about 200 grams, 7 oz.)
1 celery stalk, the stringy fibrous "ribs" pulled off with a sharp knife (this is very easy - if the stalk is fresh and hard)
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon chopped basil (dried is OK)
1/2 cube of beef stock
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon course-ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon (fresh) ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper

EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

Large sauce pan/pot
Small sauce pan, preferably with a heavy bottom
Large frying pan with lid
I prefer a clear glass lid, so I can see what is going on in the pan

PREPARATION / DIRECTIONS

Instructions for the lentil dish:
Sweat the unions in some olive oil or butter
Put the lentils, carrots, celery, and bay leaves in a large sauce pan
Add enough water to cover the lentils by 6-10 cm (2-4 inch)
Add salt and half a bouillon cube
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a slow simmer LID ON
Cook until the lentils are almost tender ("al dente"), 20 to 25 minutes.
Add water if the lentils begin to turn dry before they are done!!!
Remove from heat, drain well, and remove the bay leaves
Fold in the basil, garlic, onions, and spinach
Season with pepper, salt, nutmeg, cayenne, garlic, and mustard
Transfer to a skillet or large frying pan, and add some olive oil
Put aside and prepare the chicken dish
Put the skillet back on the stove, and heat up while stirring regularly

Instructions for the chicken dish:
Prepare the lentil dish, except for the last step
Clean the chicken breasts: remove all fat, tendons, sinews, membranes.
Remove the tenders; they can be treated like the breast meat.
Season the pieces very lightly with salt
Cover one side of each breast filet with a slice of prosciutto; trim, so not too much sticks out
Put the breasts on a sheet of plastic kitchen film (wrap), prosciutto side up, and cover with kitchen wrap
Pound the prosciutto into the chicken with your fist or the bottom of a small sauce pan
Remove the plastic film
Dredge the chicken breasts in flour to coat them lightly, then tap off any excess flour
Pre-heat the oven to 175 °C (350 °F)
Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet or frying pan that is large enough for all the meat
Place the pieces of meat in the skillet, prosciutto side down and cook until lightly brown (do not overcook the prosciutto, as it will become tough), approximately 2 minutes; then turn over and brown the other side (about 3 minutes); make sure the chicken is cooked through
Turn over the pieces (prosciutto side down again), and spread a thin layer of tomato paste over the top of each piece
Season with fresh ground pepper
Completely cover the pieces with the slices of cheese; trim, so not too much sticks out
If the skillet or frying pan is oven-proof, put it in the oven under the broiler until the cheese bubbles and begins to turn brown (1-2 minutes; do not walk away)
If the skillet is not oven-proof, then transfer the pieces to a baking sheet and broil them.

The chicken filets getting pan-fried and a double batch of the lentil dish

The cheese-covered chicken filets - before & after broiling

SERVING & GARNISH SUGGESTIONS

Serve chicken and lentils immediately on heated plates