PASTA WITH MOZZARELLA SAUCE, CHICKEN AND DRIED TOMATOES

Good afternoon!!

Today we will bring Italy to our table with this delicious, easy and quick pasta. I'm sure you'll love it, after all, there's no way you don't like it. Who doubts, write down the recipe, hands to work and then tell me.

It is very versatile as almost everything I make, because who knows me knows that eating at my house or at my mother's house is a problem. One of them is vegetarian, the other doesn't eat red meat, onions and garlic are out of the question, one likes parsley, cilantro, basil, etc., the other nothing, only basil, my mother only parsley, and so on. Let me tell you, it is not an easy task when we get together, but in the end everything works out, but not without a certain work in order to make everyone happy.

In the case of this pasta, when I prepared again and made for everyone, I just had to separate some of the sauce and put Gorgonzola cheese in one of the parts, and suppress the olives of both parts, because my parents do not like the Black Olive and I also excluded the chicken and it is as good as , but if you want to feel free, you can even do with filet mignon, which you like, of course.

Well, all this speech to say that besides mozzarella, you can use other types of cheese, like Brie, Emmental, Gruyère, whatever you want and find, or whatever is feasible, since some cheeses are usually very expensive here in Brazil. But I recommend making it the way I did: easy to find and very affordable.

As for herbs, you can use as much as you like, both in quantity and variety, it's a matter of taste, so customize your recipe.

So, let's go for a walk and Buon Appetito!!!

PASTA WITH MOZZARELLA SAUCE, CHICKEN AND DRIED TOMATOES

Ingredients:

Preparation:

Drain the oil from the dried tomatoes.

In a wok, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the garlic. Then add the dried tomatões, cut in half, or in four, depending on the size. Leave it until the fragrance of the garlic is released and the tomatoes are enveloped by its aroma ( I didn't use garlic 😕), about 2 minutes. Remove from the wok and set aside.

Add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil and add the chicken fillets seasoned with paprika and salt, and let them brown on both sides.

Lower the heat, cover and let the water be absorbed. Then remove the lid so that the water evaporates completely and it is soft and golden (if you let only brown and remove, it will be dry), because here, after giving the first golden, we cover the pan so so it will cook in its own juice, it will be very soft. Remove from heat and set aside.

Cook the pasta according to the package, but leave it a little more "al dente" because it will finish cooking in the sauce. Reserve one cup of the pasta cooking water, because we will use it in the sauce if it gets too thick. This water, when used, will preserve the creaminess of the sauce.

While the pasta is cooking, return the dried tomatoes, the chicken, followed by the cream and milk to the pan. As soon as it starts to boil, add the cheeses.

Reduce heat and stir until the cheeses are melted and fully incorporated into the sauce. Add the pasta and the pasta cooking water slowly until it is creamy.

Add the olives, fresh basil, Calabrian pepper and adjust the salt. Serve with more Parmesan and fresh basil leaves if you want a more intense and fresh flavor.

Tip: as I said, you can omit the chicken or replace it with filet mignon, or cut it into strips before adding it to the pasta.

You can also use cream cheese or fresh cream cheese.

As for the herbs, they can all be fresh.

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PASTA WITH MOZZARELLA SAUCE, CHICKEN AND DRIED TOMATOES

Ingredients:

450 g chicken breast fillet

200 g fusilli or other pasta of choice

1 cup fresh cream

1 cup milk

½ cup chopped black olives

1 Tbsp dehydrated basil

1 Tbsp of dehydrated oregano

1 dessert spoon paprika (sweet or spicy)

1 cup grated mozzarella (very compact)

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

115g pickled, dried tomatoes

4 Tbsp olive oil

3 squeezed garlic cloves

¼ teaspoon Calabrian pepper (optional)

1/2 cup pasta cooking water

Fresh basil

Salt to taste

Directions:

Drain the oil from the dried tomatoes.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a wok and add the garlic. Then add the dried tomatoes, cut in half. Leave it until the perfume of garlic is released and the tomatoes are enveloped by the aroma. Remove and set aside.

Add 2 more Tbsp of olive oil and add the chicken fillets seasoned with paprika and salt, and cook until golden brown on both sides.

Then lower the heat, cover and let all the water be absorbed.

Remove the lid again so that the chicken is golden brown. Remove and set aside.

Before making sauce, cook the pasta for about 6 minutes. Remember that it must be removed before the end of cooking, so that it is finished in the sauce.

In the wok, put the dried tomatoes, the chicken, followed by the fresh cream and milk, and as soon as it starts boiling add the cheeses.

Reduce heat and stir until the cheeses are melted and fully incorporated into the sauce. Add the pasta and the pasta cooking water slowly until it is creamy. Finish with more Parmesan and fresh basil.