Recipe: Fricasseed Chicken with Almonds (Pollo in Fricassea con le Mandorle)

FRICASSEED CHICKEN WITH ALMONDS
(POLLO IN FRICASSEA CON LE MANDORLE)

1 (3 1/2- to 4-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 ounces (about 1/3 cup), whole almonds, shelled but not peeled (see note)
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed with the flat part of a heavy knife blade
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dry Marsala wine
Fine sea salt
1 teaspoon or more chopped dried hot red chile pepper, to taste

Wash chicken pieces under cold running water; set in a footed colander to drain.

Drop almonds into small saucepan of boiling water. Two minutes after the water returns to a boil, drain almonds in a sieve. Wrap almonds in a dampened dish towel. Rub them briskly in the towel, unwrap and remove the almonds with loosened peels. Remove the peels. Return the unpeeled almonds to the dish towel; repeat the procedure until all of the almonds have been peeled. Put the almonds in a food processor fitted with a steel blade; chop until pulverized. Set aside.

Combine butter, oil and garlic in a 12-inch saute pan; turn the heat to high. Stir from time to time. Spread the flour on a plate.

When the butter melts and its foam begins to subside, dredge (lightly coat) one chicken piece at a time in flour and slip it into the pan to brown. When all the pieces have been browned on one side, turn them and brown the other side. When all the pieces have been thoroughly browned, remove the breast pieces, cover loosely and refrigerate.

Add the chopped almonds to the pan, stirring them with a wooden spoon to brown them, about 1 minute.

Add Marsala, salt and chile pepper, turning the mixture with wooden spoon. When the Marsala has bubbled about 1 minute, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover the pan. Cook for 1 hour or until the meat comes easily off the bone.

Return the breast pieces to pan; cook for 15 minutes.

Transfer to a warm platter and serve. (This recipe can be prepared in advance. Cover and refrigerate; reheat gently in the skillet.)

Marcella Says: "I don't buy peeled almonds because I never know how long they have been on the shelf, and blanched almonds turn rancid more quickly than unpeeled ones."

Servings: 4-6
Adapted from source: Marcella Says...: Italian Cooking Wisdom from the Legendary Teacher's Master Classes, with 120 of Her Irresistible New Recipes by Marcella Hazan