It's the hearty, humble stuff of church dinners and weeknight casseroles. Named after an Italian opera star, chicken tetrazzini has been a favorite since its supposed invention either in New York or San Francisco in the early 1900s.
Cooks like to make it because it's inexpensive and easy to throw together. Children love it to eat it because it marries two of the world's most kid-friendly ingredients -- spaghetti and chicken.
This version from Brad McDonald's Deep South: New Southern Cooking gives the dish a modern spin with chile peppers and Muenster cheese instead of parmesan. The result is a bit on the spicy side, but it's a gentle burn on the tongue.
Chicken Tetrazzini
For sauce:
5 ounces milk
5 ounces chicken stock
3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1 shallot, sliced thin
5 guajillo chile peppers, ends snipped off, seeds discarded
7 ounces Muenster cheese, cut into cubes
For pasta:
1 pound spaghetti
8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thin
2 green bell peppers, roasted and skinned
4 jalapeno peppers, roasted, skinned, deseeded and diced
1 pound roasted chicken
Juice of 1 lemon
Sea salt and ground black pepper
3 1/2 ounces fresh breadcrumbs
First, make the sauce. Put milk and stock in pan with the garlic, shallot and guajillo chile peppers. Bring to boil. Lower heat to just below simmer. While still warm, pour contents of the pan into a blender along with the cheese and blitz to a smooth consistency. Strain if desired.
Cook spaghetti in large pan of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water and drain again. Toss with mushrooms, green peppers, jalapeno peppers, chicken, lemon juice, and some salt and pepper. Fold in the cheese sauce and transfer to a 9-inch square casserole dish. Cover with breadcrumbs and place in a 400-degree oven. Bake until breadcrumbs are golden brown.
Makes 6 servings.
Food on 11/30/2016