Chicken Cacciatora

mammamia #2's Note:

Authentic--straight from my 87 year old Tuscan mother, who got it from her mother, who got it from HER mother. Use chicken with bones--the flavor is much richer. Serve sauce over pasta; put pasta in a separate bowl because you will have to cut the chicken off the bone and this keeps bones from getting mixed in with the pasta. You may wonder about ingredients so "old fashioned" as organ meats, but trust me, they lend a wonderful dark flavor.

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 4 -5 lbs chicken pieces
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 ounces salt pork (or pancetta, if you can get it) or 2 ounces bacon, chopped fine (or pancetta, if you can get it)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 lb onion
• 2 chicken livers, chopped
• 2 chicken gizzards, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped fine
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
• 10 fresh parsley sprigs
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• salt (if using salt pork, use less salt)
• 4 medium sized ripe tomatoes or 2 cups canned diced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup dry white wine

Directions:

1. Combine oil, salt pork and butter in a good-sized pot; heat.
2. Add onions and saute slowly.
3. Add chicken pieces and chopped livers and gizzards and brown for 5 minutes on each side.
4. Add garlic, rosemary and parsley, salt and pepper. Stir well.
5. Cook for 5 minutes.
6. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and cook slowly for about 30 minutes or until done.
7. Check for doneness and salt. Do not overcook.
8. Serve with grated Parmesan.
9. Variations: you can add 1/2 lb. quartered mushrooms 15 minutes into cooking. For a little more tomato flavor, add another T of tomato paste ( I Iike it like this). You can also use a bit of oregano.