Tales From My Recipe File . . . .

Z�s last post inspired me to post my own little recipe.

evil�s take on Chicken Saltimbocca ::

6 chicken cutlets, pounded to evenly flatten
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 paper-thin slices Prosciutto
1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 tub of Ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons olive oil
Fresh grated Parmesan
Grated Mozzarella

1/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
About 1/2 tsp of sugar
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 can (28-ounce) of crushed tomatoes
1 large (or 2 small) bunches of basil, torn

1 lb of dry Spaghetti

1. Set oven to 400F
2. Place the chicken cutlets flat on the work surface. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Smooth over some of the Ricotta cheese.
4. Lay 1 slice of prosciutto atop each chicken cutlet.
5. Squeeze the now-thawed frozen spinach to remove the excess water. Put it in a bowl. Season the spinach with salt and pepper and toss it with 1 tablespoon of oil to coat.
6. Arrange an even, thin layer of spinach atop the Prosciutto and Ricotta.
7. Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over each.
8. Beginning at the short tapered end, roll up each chicken cutlet as for a jellyroll. Secure with a toothpick.
9. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per side. (Be careful not to overcook as the cutlets will dry out; they will finish cooking in the oven.)
10. Remove chicken from skillet and place in a casserole dish
11. In a small pot over low-heat add olive oil and garlic (be sure to add the garlic when the oil is cold � it helps to prevent it from burning).
12. Sautee garlic over (very) low heat until the garlic roasts (be careful not to burn the garlic, it should be a light golden brown).
13. Add can of crushed tomatoes. Stir.
14. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the sugar to taste (this is meant to enhance the sweetness of the tomatoes and is not meant to be overpowering).
15. Add the torn basil
16. When the tomatoes have heated through, cover the chicken with the sauce.
17. Cover the top of the chicken with a couple of handfuls of Parmesan and Mozzarella (the amount of cheese you use is up to you).
18. Place casserole dish in the oven. Depending on the size of the chicken breasts, they should cook through by the time your pasta water boils and the pasta is cooked.
19. Put pot of salted water on to boil and cook the pasta to desired tenderness.
20. Serve the chicken and sauce over pasta and enjoy!