Saturday Night in: a little taste of Tuscany
Updated: 6 days ago
A Lagois kitchen recipe for November
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Night darkness sets in early these days, and there’s a chill in the air. A Saturday evening movie at home, maybe with a couple of good neighbours, seems like a lovely and cozy idea, especially if there’s something wonderful simmering in the kitchen.
Here’s something simple but absolutely delicious: tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and Parmesan in a rich garlic cream sauce. (It tastes far more complicated than it is.) You can make it ahead of time and forget about it until later.
Creamy Tuscan chicken with crusty bread
Serves: 6
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking: 35–40 minutes
Make ahead: Up to one day
Ingredients
For the chicken:
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (approximately 1–1.2 kg)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp paprika
Salt and freshly ground pepper
For the sauce:
4 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly chopped
1½ cups chicken broth
1½ cups heavy cream (35%)
¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning
3 generous handfuls of fresh baby spinach
1 tbsp butter
Fresh basil for garnish
Serve with:
2 large crusty baguettes or a rustic sourdough loaf
Butter or olive oil
A simple green salad
Preparation
Brown the chicken
Pat the chicken dry and season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and paprika. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken for approximately 4–5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate. It will finish cooking in the sauce.
Build the flavour
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes to the same skillet. Cook for about a minute, stirring gently, until fragrant.
Make the sauce
Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the cream and Italian seasoning. Bring to a gentle simmer, then gradually stir in the Parmesan until melted.
Finish the chicken
Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Cover loosely and simmer gently for 12–18 minutes.
Add the greens
Stir in the baby spinach and cook for another 2–3 minutes, just until wilted. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with the fresh basil if you like.
Making it ahead
You can prepare the entire dish earlier in the day, leaving out the spinach until reheating.
Allow it to cool briefly, then refrigerate promptly in a covered, shallow container.
About 25–30 minutes before serving, transfer the chicken and sauce to a covered skillet or casserole and reheat gently until thoroughly hot. Add a splash of broth or cream if the sauce has thickened too much.
Stir in the fresh spinach during the final few minutes.
Don't forget the bread!
Slice a rustic sourdough loaf or two baguettes lengthwise. Brush lightly with olive oil or melted butter, sprinkle with a little garlic and warm in a 190°C (375°F) oven for 8–10 minutes, until the edges are crisp.
And, for dessert – well, why not?
Warm Ontario apple crisp with vanilla ice cream
Simple and old fashioned, this could be a nice fresh dish to prepare earlier and pop into the oven (perhaps about halfway through the movie). Or you could bake the entire crisp in the afternoon (or the day before), and reheat it, uncovered, at 300°F (150°C) for approximately 15–20 minutes.
Serves: 6–8
Preparation: 20 minutes
Baking: 40–45 minutes
Oven: 350°F (175°C)
Ingredients
For the apple filling:
8 medium Ontario apples (about 1.2 kg prepared)
2 tbsp lemon juice
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
For the crisp topping:
¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
¾ cup all-purpose flour
⅔ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup cold butter, cut into small cubes
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly butter a 9-inch square baking dish or a similar-sized oval casserole.
2. Peel, core and slice the apples into pieces approximately ¼-inch thick.
3. In a large bowl, toss the apples with lemon juice, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
4. In another bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Add the cold butter and work it into the mixture with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until coarse crumbs form. If you’ve decided to use them, stir in the nuts.
5. Scatter the topping evenly over the apples. Don't press it down.
6. Bake uncovered for 40–45 minutes, until the topping is golden and the apple filling is bubbling around the edges. If the topping browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
7. Allow to rest for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and let it melt slightly into the warm apples.
Here’s wishing you a nice cozy November evening!
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