An Oscar Dinner-Montalcino Style: Pollo con Sedani Rifatti (Chicken with Celery)

While reading the Benvenuto Brunello blog this past weekend, I noticed a post about an ‘ancient recipe that is typical of the city of Brunello’ and more importantly with a video of a woman named Maria Pieri,  one of the best known cooks in the village. The recipe was for ‘sedani rifatti’ or ‘celery redone’.  And the YouTube video of Maria has her making the dish with the addition of chicken. Dinner was born. So tonite, in honor of this weekend’s Brunello festivities in Montalcino, we are having a ‘couch picnic’ – watching the Osccars, opening a bottle of Brunello from my friend’s vineyard and giving this new recipe a try!  Salute tutti!

Pollo con Sedani Rifatti

 Ingredients:

 6-8 stalks of celery, ends trimmed and cut into 3-4 inch pieces

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons flour

A bit of water

Extra virgin olive oil (for frying and marinating the chicken)

8 chicken thighs (I use skinless)

1 cup dry white wine

2 cups tomato sauce

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Equipment needed- 1 pot for boiling the celery; 2 pans: one for frying celery; one for frying chicken

Directions:

1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Drop in the celery and boil for 5 minutes until soft. Drain.
2. To the lightly beaten egg, add a bit of water and mix. Add the flour and stir to incorporate. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
3. Add the celery and mix to coat. Heat some olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add in the celery and fry until browned on both sides, a few minutes each side. Remove to a dish lined with paper towels. You may need to fry in batches. Continue until all celery is fryed.
4. Place the chicken thighs in a bowl and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and mix to combine.
5. In another skillet or dutch oven, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add in the chicken thighs and sauté until browned on both side, about 5 minutes per side. Add in the wine and allow to reduce, about 5 minutes.
6. Add in the tomato sauce and stir to incorporate. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes (depending on how large the chicken thighs are), until chicken is cooked through. Stir occasionally. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
7. Stir in the celery and mix gently all together. Allow to simmer for a just a minute or two and serve!
8. Buon appetito!