Chicken Cacciatora with Fusilli

Chicken braised in an Italian tomato, mushroom and wine sauce, and tossed with fusilli.

Recipe Ingredients:

1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 1/2 pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
1 onion, chopped fine
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced thin
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes including the juice
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 flat anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry, and mashed to a paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 pound fusilli pasta
1/2 cup minced fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley leaves, if desired

Cooking Directions:

1. In a kettle heat the oil over medium high heat until it is hot and brown the chicken in batches, transferring it as it is browned to a bowl.
2. Pour off and discard all but about 3 tablespoons of the oil and cook the onion and the mushrooms over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden.
3. Add the garlic and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute.
4. Add the tomatoes with the juice, the wine, the chicken with any juices that have accumulated in the bowl, the anchovy paste, and the oregano and simmer the mixture, covered, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes, for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
5. In kettle of boiling salted water cook the fusilli for 10 to 12 minutes, or until it is al dente, drain it well, and in a large bowl toss it with the chicken mixture. Sprinkle the chicken cacciatora with the parsley.

Makes 4 servings.