Chicken+Parmesan

=__//**Chicken Parmesan**//__= Zoe Sheitman

Coat a saute pan with olive oil and place over medium heat. When the oil gets hazy, add the onions, garlic, and [|bay leaves] ; cook and stir for 5 minutes until fragrant and soft. Add the olives and some hand-torn basil. Carefully add the tomatoes (nothing splashes like tomatoes), cook and stir until the liquid is cooked down and the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes; season with sugar, salt and pepper. Lower the heat, cover, and keep warm. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Get the ingredients together for the chicken so you have a little assembly line. Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of [|plastic wrap] over them. Pound the chicken breasts with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/2-inch thick. Put the flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. In a wide bowl, combine the eggs and water, beat until frothy. Put the [|bread crumbs] on a plate, season with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high flame in a large oven-proof skillet. Lightly dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the [|egg wash] to coat completely, letting the excess drip off, then dredge in the bread crumbs. When the oil is nice and hot, add the cutlets and fry for 4 minutes on each side until golden and crusty, turning once. Ladle the tomato-olive sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with mozzarella, Parmesan, and basil. Bake the Chicken Parmesan for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Serve hot with spaghetti. [] [] []
 * Background:**
 * Originated 400 years ago in Bologna Italy
 * Started out as Eggplant Parmesan, and Veal Parmigiana
 * Bolognese was originally a dish made with crumble veal cutlets and Parma ham
 * Cheese, breadcrumbs and tomato was added over time
 * Veal was then switched out for chicken
 * Eaten every day, no specific time
 * Ingredients **
 * 1/4 cup [|extra-virgin olive oil] , plus 3 tablespoons
 * 1 medium onion, chopped
 * 2 [|garlic cloves] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">, minced
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">2 bay leaves
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">1/2 cup <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|kalamata olives] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">, pitted
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">1/2 bunch fresh basil leaves
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Pinch sugar
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">4 skinless, boneless, <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|chicken breasts] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> (about 11/2 pounds)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">1/2 cup <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|all-purpose flour]
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">2 large eggs, lightly beaten
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">1 tablespoon water
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">1 cup dried bread crumbs
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">1 (8-ounce) ball fresh <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|buffalo mozzarella] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">, water drained
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Freshly grated <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|Parmesan]
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">1 pound <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|spaghetti] <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> pasta, cooked <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">[|al dente]
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Directions **
 * __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Sources: __**