Chicken Spiedini

Garozzos Italian Restaurant is acclaimed to be possibly the best Italian restaurant in the area.  Last week Charlie and I went there and each of us had a version of their Spiedini di Pollol . I had the one with crushed tomatoes and Charlie had the one with artichoke hearts and Alfredo sauce.  We got there at 3:30, half an hour after they opened and were the only patron there at first.  Someone must have been caught off guard in the kitchen because Charlie's, although delicious, the chicken was waaay over cooked.  I said I wanted to try to make  a version of theirs sometime soon.  That turned out to be today.

Yesterday Mary from Michigan, an online friend since long before Facebook,  posted a recipe for a cake that looked scrumptious. So I made it today too. It has become both our all time favorite cake now. I spent more time in the kitchen today than I have in a long time. By the time I served the Speidini, I was too tired to think about a garnish.

Garozzo’s Chicken Spiedini

Prep 20 min, Cook 1 hour, Bake 30 min, Total 2 hours, 5 min.

Garozzo’s menu for Spiedini di Pollo: marinated chicken breast, rolled in bread crumbs, skewered and grilled.

1. Garozzo:  topped with Amogio sauce, with a side of pasta and Sugo.
2. Gabriella; Over fettuccini with Diablo sauce (available in grocery stores)
3. Georgio:  with crushed tomatoes basil, garlic, spinach & olive oil over angel hair pasta & Romano cheese.
4. Samantha, Fettuccini, artichoke hearts and creamy Alfredo sauce.

Ingredients for chicken

2 lb chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into 1-inch pieces

Marinade

6 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp. lemon juice

lemon zest

1/2 C. olive oil

1/2 C white  wine

1 tsp. salt

1c. Italian bread crumbs

 Marinate chicken pieces in 6 cloves garlic, 2 tsp. lemon juice, 1/2 C. olive oil, 1/2 C. white wine1 tsp. salt in refrigerator for 24 hours.  Remove chicken from marinade, toss with breadcrumbs to coat well. Arrange on skewers. Bake in 400º oven or on grill and bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes in oven, turning after 15 min.  Serve over pasta, topped with Sugo and Parmesan cheese

Garnishes and other servings

Spaghetti, cooked

Fresh basil

Grated Parmesan

Sugo sauce 

Ingredients

2 T. olive oil

1 small onion, fine dice

3 cloves garlic minced

salt & red pepper flakes to taste

22 oz can crushed tomatoes

1/2 C red wine

handful fresh basil

Sugo sauce

Directions

Heat oil, add onion and cook to lightly brown. Add garlic til fragrant. Remove garlic,  add salt & pepper, torn basil leaves, tomatoes and wine. Bring to simmer, cover, cook 1 hour, uncover and let reduce 16-20 minutes.  Set aside, reheat before serving. 

Amogio Sauce - light and flavorful - the perfect marinade or sauce. It will      add zip to your favorite chicken, fish, or pasta. 

Ingredients

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh basil
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a medium sauce, combine oil, butter, lemon juice, garlic, shallot, parsley, basil, and crushed red pepper.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve immediately over pasta or let cool for 30 minutes to use as a marinade for chicken.

ALFREDO sauce: 3-4 cloves of garlic diced and sautéed in 1/2 stick butter Add 1 pint heavy cream along with some salt and cracked pepper Cook the cream until it starts to simmer and add 1 cup finely grated Parmesano reggiano and 1/2 cup Asiago cheese Cook until all cheese is melted in. Add salt and pepper to taste to finish Add noodles and cook in sauce 2-3 min

Butter Pecan Cake  from Mary, 6/15/24 

Ingredients:   For the Cake:

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter

3 cups (333g) cake flour

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

1 cup (200g) light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups (354ml) buttermilk, room temperature preferred

2 large eggs, room temperature preferred

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ cups (160g) pecan halves, very finely chopped

For the Icing:

1 ½ cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened

6 oz cream cheese, softened

⅓ cup (66g) light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

4 ½ cups (562g) powdered sugar

1 Tablespoon heavy cream

⅓ cup (35g) pecan halves, very finely chopped, optional

Directions:

Brown the Butter: Melt butter over medium-low heat, then increase heat and cook until golden brown specks form. Cool completely.

Prepare the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line three 8-inch round baking pans.

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together cake flour, sugars, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Combine with Butter: Add browned butter to dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.

Add Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Gradually add to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Stir in chopped pecans.

Bake: Divide batter among prepared pans. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

Make the Icing: Beat butter, cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and heavy cream, beating until fluffy.

Assemble the Cake: Level cakes if necessary. Stack layers with icing between each and frost the outside. Decorate with chopped pecans and piped frosting swirls if desired.

Prep: 1 hour | Cooking: 30 minutes | Total: 1 hour 30 minutes | Kcal: 975 per serving | Servings: 12 servings