Adapted from Pasta Revolution: 200 Foolproof Recipes That Go Beyond Spaghetti and Meatballs, edited by America’s Test Kitchen
Added February 5, 2023; Tested February 3, 2023
Taste: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️+!!
Difficulty: ❤️❤️🤍🤍🤍
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I noticed this recipe from Pasta Revolution: 200 Foolproof Recipes That Go Beyond Spaghetti and Meatballs, edited by America’s Test Kitchen, and decided to try it because 1) I had a leftover charcuterie sampler that never got used from a cancelled dinner party; 2) I had planned to make something including “chicken and pasta” for our Friday night dinner; 3) it just sounded good.
I was blown away by how good this came out. Nothing too complicated, a few things to prep (which, if you do in advance, makes it super-easy), and everything gets cooked in a single skillet.
While I didn’t have all the prosciutto the recipe called for, I made do with a mix of prosciutto and coppa (which I learned is short for “capocollo”, which is made from pork shoulder. It’s similar to prosciutto, but prosciutto comes from the leg).
I had about an ounce of prosciutto and then added about 1/2 an ounce of the coppa (just shy of the 2 oz of meat the recipe called for, which I had scaled down by half from the prescribed “Serves 4” for just me and my boyfriend). I’d never tried (or even heard of!) coppa, so I used less than the prosciutto just in case it didn’t have the right flavor for the recipe.
In the image below, you can see the salame stacked on top (right side), with the bright red coppa right underneath and taking up most of the left half of the package. The prosciutto is a lighter pink and peeking out under the coppa in the lower left corner of the photo.
After frying the prosciutto/coppa for a few minutes in olive oil, whole sage leaves were added and fried for about 30 seconds, resulting in delicate, crispy leaves that were still green. Everything was drained on a paper towel, and then the chicken added into the prosciutto/coppa/sage-infused oil, to fry for a few minutes more. Then, the chopped onions and minced sage were fried up in the remaining fat, with flour mixed in and then simmered with white wine (2020 Common Phenomena Sauvignon Blanc) for a minute.
Once the wine reduced by about half, the pasta was added directly to the pan with the onion and chopped sage, together with water and chicken broth. This was boiled for about 15 minutes, after which the pasta was beautifully cooked!
After the liquid reduced to a thick sauce and the pasta was tender, the chicken was added back to the pan with butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Then everything was plated and garnished with the prosciutto/coppa and sage.
While the original recipe calls for capers, I didn’t have any on hand but I thought this was just perfect without them. The combination of lemony, salty, silky sauce with the crunchy bits of pork, and delicate, crispy herby sage leaves was tremendously satisfying.
A perfect meal!!
Skillet Saltimbocca Spaghetti – Adapted from Pasta Revolution, edited by America’s Test Kitchen
Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1/2 oz thinly sliced coppa, chopped
4 large fresh sage leaves, plus 2 Tbsp minced
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast sliced in thin strips
3/4 onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp all-purpose flour
1/2 c white wine (Sauvignon blanc works great)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cups water
6 oz spaghetti, broken in half
1 Tbsp butter
Zest from 1 lemon
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt & freshly ground pepper
Shaved parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add prosciutto and coppa; cook until crisp (about 5 minutes).
Add sage leaves and cook until crispy (30 seconds or so).
Transfer pork and sage leaves onto a paper towel to drain.
Pat chicken dry with paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Heat remaining oil in same skillet until hot, and add chicken in single layer. Let cook for about 1 minute without stirring. Then stir and cook an additional 2 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and set aside in bowl.
Add chopped onion to fat remaining in skillet and cook over medium heat until soft and golden, 7 – 10 minutes.
Stir in garlic and minced sage, cook an additional 30 seconds.
Stir in flour, cook for 1 minute.
Stir in wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 1 minute.
Stir in broth, water, and pasta. Increase heat to medium-high, stirring often, until pasta is tender and sauce thickens, about 12 – 15 minutes.
Stir in chicken with any accumulated juice. Add butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice, cooking until chicken is warmed through (about 1 minute).
Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with crisped prosciutto/coppa, sage, and cheese.
Enjoy!
Mastering The Ways 