Tagliatelle and a Tomatoey Chicken Sauce Recipe

"Short bills and long tagliatelle, say the people of Bologna, knowing whereof they speak, for long bills frighten husbands, while short tagliatelle are proof of the inexperience of she who made them, and, when served, look like left overs," wrote Pellegrino Artusi, dean of the Italian gastronomes, more than a century ago. Thier classic foil is sugo alla Bolognese, a rich meat sauce. But it takes a while; here's a tasty alternative that's quicker to prepare. To serve 3-4:

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 60 minutes

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces (250 g) tagliatelle
• A 1-pound (400 g) can of tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1/4 pound (100 g) prosciutto, cut into thin strips
• 1/4 pound (100 g) chicken breast, cut into thin strips
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• A glass of Port
• 2 tablespoons aromatic herbs (chop and combine parsley, rosemary, sage, and basil, adjusting the
• proportions to suit your taste, though I would privilege parsley)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• An onion, finely sliced
• Freshly grated Parmigiano
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot and sauté the onion and garlic over a gentle flame, stirring them often lest they burn. When the onion is translucent and golden, add the prosciutto and chicken. Cook for a few minutes more, then sprinkle the port into the pot and cook over a brisk flame, stirring, until it has evaporated. Add the tomatoes, check seasoning, reduce the flame, cover the pot, and simmer the sauce for about an hour, adding hot water if need be to keep it from drying out. When it's 10 minutes shy of being done stir in the herbs.

While the sauce is cooking heat pasta water, salt it, and cook the pasta, timing things so the pasta and the sauce are ready at the same time. Season the pasta with the sauce, and serve it with grated cheese.

Yield: 4 servings tagliatelle with a tomatoey chicken sauce.

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