Lidia's Chicken Bundles (Fagottini di Pollo)

Copyright 2013LtDan'sKitchen blogs

I posted this dish when I started my blog about two years ago and this was one of the very favorites of a lot of people based on the number of views for this recipe. It did occur to me just recently however, that I basically posted the link to the original recipe without really bothering to write the recipe of my own version of the dish. It was then perfect timing when my colleagues were stopping by the house on our way to a conference last week. I invited them over for lunch and this is what I served them. I made a simple version of the dish doing away with the use of sage leaves. They are hard to find here in the Philippines and the dried ones are also a bit of a challenge to find. Still, the dish held up well with or without them. I also did away with the cheese, finishing off the dish with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Fagotinni di Pollo - Adapted*

2 lbs chicken thighs, deboned and skinned
1 large carrot, shredded
1 large onion, shredded
3 stalks celery, shredded
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 lb fresh tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 cup white wine
3 cups water
1 1/2 lb bacon
salt and pepper
8 tbsp olive oil

1.  Heat 2 tbsp olive oil and saute the onions, carrots and celery. season with 
     salt and pepper. Continue to cook until softened. Once slightly browned, 
     remove the pestata from the heat and allow to cool.

2. In a deep pan, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat and add the 
    garlic. Saute until fragrant. Add the diced tomatoes and season with salt 
    and pepper. Saute until softened. Add the white wine and the oregano and
    cook until slightly browned. Add the water and the tomato paste and bring 
    to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer covered.

3. While the pestata is cooling and the sauce is simmering, prepare the 
    chicken by wrapping them in clingwrap and pounding them with a mallet 
    until flat. Set aside

4. To assemble, season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and then fill 
    with about a tablespoon of of the cooled pestata. Roll into a wrap and seal 
    the wrap with the bacon strips. Secure with a toothpick if necessary. 

5. Heat the remaining olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry the chicken
    bundles in batches until the bacon is golden and browned. Transfer the 
    fried bundles into the simmering tomato sauce and continue to cook until 
    the chicken is cooked through. 

6. Adjust the sauce by adding water if a bit too thick and allow to thicken by
    removing the cover if a bit runny. Check for flavor and adjust accordingly. 

7. To serve, remove the toothpicks and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. 

Lidia's Italy: Fagottini di Pollo