Chicken and Pasta and two staples of the Italian kitchen but NEVER together, apparently.
If someone says to us that they’re putting chicken in their pasta, we all tend to suddenly get a bit hot and panicky; we worry our all our ancestors, friends, and the wonderful grandmothers who are no longer with us are all turning in their graves at the thought. Yet, we’re an open-minded, investigative bunch; always keen to disprove any culinary assumption.
Which is why we’re pleasantly surprised in going through our archive to discover there are quite a few dishes that do include both pasta and chicken. Perhaps that’s enough to take this rule from fact to fiction. Although the jury is still out. Do you have any recipe examples or facts that could help us bust this myth?
Adriana’s Lasagna in Brodo
Adriana was one of the stars of our recent trip to Molise! She lives in a village called Guglionesi, which is very much a hidden gem (mainly because Italians themselves joke that the whole region doesn’t even exist.)
Her life story is remarkable. She’s a real granny-of-all-trades, from selling veggies as a child, to using her ‘Ape’ 3 wheeler for a chicken business, to seven years working her way up in London’s restaurant kitchens.
She loves those poultry flavours so much that she’s added one to this Lasagna in Brodo recipe. It’s utterly unique, and incredibly delicious.
Maria’s Fusi Istriani
86 year old Maria shares a chicken and pasta recipe which is popular in Istria, and it’s Italo-in origin but does sit over the border; the region covers Croatia, Slovenia (where Marija lives) and Italy. The recipe is eaten in the Italian parts of the region and varies from cook to cook – sometimes wine is added, sometimes grappa, sometimes a wee bit of tomato concentrate; it depends on what is to hand (and how boozy the chef tends to be).
The main thing? It’s chicken. It’s always served at the same time as the pasta, so this combo didn’t have to cross the Atlantic to come into existence. It does have its origins in Europe and is eaten by Italians. Plus, Fusi Istriani is a fun pasta to make – a bit like garganelli. Looking for a shortcut? Penne will work just as well.
Venetian Risi e Tochi
Okay, okay, we admit this one isn’t pasta but it is risotto and often we apply similar rules for them both. In the Veneto region, there’s a dish called ‘risi e tochi.’ Risotto has a reputation being tricky to make with lots of strict rules and methods; but this recipe? Much like the Venetians who are often caught sipping a spritz before lunch, it’s a relaxed, popular crowd-pleaser. Vicky put this one in the Pasta Grannies Book 2 because it was so good. I can see why; try it for yourself if you don’t believe me.
So what do you reckon, enough evidence to bust this myth? Do you have a traditional pasta and chicken recipe which might help decide if this is fact or fiction? We’d love to know: hello@pastagrannies.com
