Pollo Al Forno Food

POLLO AL HORNO

Steps:

• Season the cavity of the Whole Chicken (1), giblets removed, with Salt (to taste) and Ground Black Pepper (to taste).
• In a small bowl, combine Butter (1/4 cup), Onion Powder (2 teaspoon), Garlic Powder (2 teaspoon), and Dried Oregano (1 teaspoon). Stir together until mixture forms a smooth paste.
• Stuff cavity of the chicken with Lemon (1), Garlic (1 head), Fresh Rosemary (3 sprig), and Fresh Thyme (8 sprig). Tie the drumsticks together with twine.
• Brush the paste all over the chicken. Adjust seasonings.
• Line the bottom of a baking pan with Onion (6 slice). Place the chicken on top. Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until cooked through.
• Let chicken rest for 20 minutes before cutting.
• Serve and enjoy!

POLLO AL MATTONE

Steps:

• Special equipment: weights such as foil covered bricks or cast iron saute pan
• In a small bowl combine the garlic, crushed red pepper, lemon zest and juice, rosemary, pimenton, and cumin. Drizzle in olive oil until the mixture becomes a paste. Place the chicken into a large bowl and massage with the spice mixture. Let marinate for 12 to 24 hours in the refrigerator or 2 hours at room temperature.
• * If refrigerating the chicken, remove from the refrigerator 45 minutes to 1 hour before cooking to let the chicken come to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Lay the marinated chicken in the pan, skin side down. Oil the bottom of another large saute pan, lay it on top of the chickens and place bricks or weights in the second saute pan. Cook the chicken until the skin starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Place the whole shootin' match in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes.
• Remove the pans from the oven and remove the weights and the top pan. At this point the skin should be lovely and dark brown. Check the chicken for doneness, it should be cooked through but still succulent and juicy. Remove the chickens from the pan and reserve on a large platter.
• Remove the excess fat from the saute pan and add the white wine. Cook over high heat until the wine has reduced by more than half. Add the chicken stock, season with salt and reduce by half.
• Arrange chicken on serving plates or a platter. Spoon the juices over. Tastes like chicken!

POLLO AL FORNO

Steps:

• 1. Boil a large pot of water for the giant shells - add them while you panfry the diced chicken. As you make both of these components, make your bechamel, for which instructions are given below.
• 2. Bechamel: Put a knob of butter (about an inch thick, cut straight from the packet) into a heated saucepan. Turning off the gas, add flour slowly, mixing in to form a brown paste. I've not given measurements of flour - mix in by sight. Continue adding flour to form a roux: this should look like a ball (or bound mass) of dough-y looking stuff. It should smell cakey. Ensure the roux is not wet and is binding. Then add milk slowly in small amounts, mixing as you go. Continue mixing until the sauce is loose and silky. Turn the hob on low and slowly add grated cheese mixing in to melt. As it cooks the cheese will make the sauce very thick. I generally use cheddar cheese and never a whole block - a few chunks maybe, enough grated cheese to fill a breakfast bowl. You can also use asiago, Parmesan and mozzarella to make a stringy sauce. You'll know the bechamel is ready once it falls gloopily off the spoon.
• 3. Now that's the prep done and you need to put the components together to go in the oven. I generally use a pot rather than a baking tray in which to put the pasta dish, as the pot will keep the pasta soft and prevent it becoming hard as an open tray will. Spoon your shells and chicken into the pot - I do a layer of shells, then spread chicken over the top, then more shells, than more chicken, to ensure the chicken isn't just a the top or bottom of the dish. Spoon over the bechamel - you can mix the pasta and chicken in the saucepan with the bechamel but I find it easy to just pour the bechamel on top of the pasta and chicken in the pot, to let it work its way down. Generously sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top with black pepper. Leave the lid off the pot to ensure it cooks properly and put in the oven for around 45 minutes on fan 180, or the gas equivalent. Once you lift it out of the oven, the top should be crispy but the pasta beneath soft and well cooked. This will become one of your favourites, as it is mine - a lot of effort but well worth it.