Instructions: Complete title: FRICASSEED CHICKEN ABRUZZI-STYLE WITH ROSEMARY, WHITE WINE, CHERRY TOMATOES, AND OLIVES

by S. Irene Virbila

traditional Abruzzese chicken fricassee in which she uses cherry tomatoes instead of the usual plum tomatoes, and the Italian Riveras small mellow tagiasche olives instead of the strong-flavored Abruzzi ones. She also suggests Nicoise olives, the tiny purple-black olives of the French Riviera, which ...are much easier to find...One tip for the chicken, I cook it for about half an hour, then remove the chicken and reduce the juices if they look too thin."

1. Wash chicken in cold water and pat dry with kitchen towel.

2. Put oil, garlic, and rosemary in skilled large enough to hold all chicken pieces in 1 layer without crowding. Turn heat to high and add chicken, skin side down. Cook until well browned, 8 to 9 minutes. Sprinkle with salt to taste and add chille. Turn over contents of skillet with wooden spoon 3 or 4 times.

3. Add wine and, as it bubbles, scrape loose with wooden spoon any brown residue sticking to bottom of pan.

4. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook, turning chicken occasionally, until very tender, and meat comes easily off bones, about 35 minutes.

5. Add water, 2 to 3 tablespoons at at time, if juices in pan cook away and chicken begins sticking to bottom of pan. (Chicken can be cooked to this point several hours in advance. Reheat gently but thoroughly before proceeding to next step).

6. Add tomatoes and olives, and cook just until tomato skins begin to crack, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to warm platter and serve at once.

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