by Andrea Watman
Whenever I am not sure what to make for dinner - this is the dish I tend to make. It is also what I make when I want to send dinner to a friend.
I learned this recipe from my friend's mother, Madeline DiGiovanni. She was to Italian cooking what Julia Child was to French cooking. She had an ease in the kitchen that was a joy to behold. She loved nothing more than reading cook books, watching cooking shows, and then adapting the recipes to her taste.
Her house was filled with love, and dinner was never for less than a dozen people. She cooked in a kitchen that was attached to her husband's garden. There were fresh tomatoes, herbs, peppers, eggplants. She would say "Harry go pick some fresh basil," and he would answer "a husband leaves his home for one of two reasons, a nagging wife or a leaking roof - and I have a new roof." We would all laugh and out he would go to pick the basil.
Her granddaughter Mia loved "sweeties" and her other granddaughter Gabriella wanted plain white potatoes - she loved well done chicken while her husband loved sausage. That is how this recipe evolved.
So... get out your roasting pan and try this "One Pot Dinner".
Ingredients
6 Large Bone-In Chicken Breasts
4 Sweet Sausages
4 Hot Sausages
( I use veal sausage - but any sausage you like will do)
4 Baking Potatoes
4 Sweet Potatoes
2 Large Yellow Onions
3 Green Peppers
3 Red Peppers
3 Lemons
4 Heads of Garlic
1/2 C Olive Oil
2- Tablespoons Kosher Salt
1- Tablespoon Ground Black Pepper
1- Tablespoon Hungarian Sweet Paprika
1-Teaspoon Garlic Powder
Aluminum Foil
Preparation
Preheat Oven to 450 degrees
Cut up the lemons and squeeze them into a Large Bowl of COLD WATER. Put the chicken breasts in the lemon water while you prepare the vegetables
Peel all potatoes. Cut the potatoes, onions, and peppers into chunks and put in your roasting pan.
Take apart the garlic an throw the cleaned cloves over the vegetables.
Add the sausage to the pot.
Rinse off the chicken breasts and towel dry.
Put the olive oil into a dry bowl large enough to fit the chicken breasts. (You can use the same bowl you soaked them in - just rinse it and dry it.)
Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika. Toss each breast in the oil spice mixture.
Add to the roasting pan - pour in any remaining oil and spice. Do not add any other liquid.
Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil.
Cook at 450 degrees for 60 - 90 minutes - until chicken is white and begins to separate from the bone and potatoes are fork tender.
Remove aluminum foil and place under the broiler to brown (this should only take 10 minutes or so).
Serve right in the pot and enjoy!
Thank you Madeline and Harry for the warmth of your home, the kindness of your family, how much I learned in your kitchen, and for the love you gave so freely!
I miss you both. A.
