One thing that we’ve noticed over the years is that food plays such an important role our in lives and not just for fuel but for entertaining and providing us with fond memories too.
We’ve chatted to some of Ireland’s well-known faces and eateries to discover their favourite dishes and meals, be it from their childhood or simply something they like to rustle up at home.
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This week, multi award winning Toscana restaurant sets our sights on one of their favourite Italian chicken dishes with our latest recipe for success!
Prepare to have your mouth water with this delicious dish, rich in herbs, fresh tomatoes and flavoured meats. Reflecting their love for using fresh herbs picked from their Wicklow gardens, the meal offers a fresh perspective to an Italian meal minus the pasta!
Feel free to send in samples to the office!
Pollo Toscana
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken breasts
- 12 Fresh Basil Leaves
- 12 Sundried tomato quarters
- 8 Slices of parma ham
- Mixed chopped herbs, sea salt & ground black pepper to season
- 200g Mozzarella cheese
- 200g Gorgonzola cheese
- 200g Fresh Cream
- 300g Fresh spinach leaves
- 1 Parsnip. (Optional as garnish)
- 1 Courgette
- 1 Aubergine
- 1 Mixed peppers
Method
- Butterfly and flatten each chicken breast or ask your butcher.
- Place chickens on a flattened surface. Season one side with salt and pepper and place 3 basil leaves & 3 sun dried tomatoes with 50g of mozzarella cheese on each breast. Roll breast up and cover outside with 2 slices of parma ham. Cover outside with a little butter and wrap each breast tight in tin foil. Put in a hot oven 200*c for 30mins.
- Chop the courgette, aubergine and mixed peppers into pieces and cook on an oven tray seasoned with salt and pepper, mixed herbs & olive oil for 15 minutes covered with foil. Occasionally turning vegetables.
- If you wish to decorate with parsnip crisps, slice thin slices of parsnip brush with olive oil and roast on an oven tray checking occasionally till crisp.
- Meanwhile to make the sauce, place 200g of fresh cream with 200g of Gorgonzola cheese in a saucepan with a little ground pepper. Cook slowly until cream reduces and becomes a thicker consistency.
- Wash fresh spinach leaves and place in a hot pan with a little olive oil and butter with a sprinkle of sugar and cook until spinach has wilted slightly.
- To plate up, place the Gorgonzola cream on a serving plate, spoon wilted spinach on centre of plate, Remove the tin foil from the chicken and place on top of the sauce & spinach. Scatter roasted vegetables around the plate. You can garnish with parsnip crisps if preferred.
Buon appetito from Toscana.
