• We used a firm, stringy cow’s milk mozzarella in this dish as buffalo mozzarella tends to melt away into the sauce.

    TO DRINK: Try Capaia Blue Grove Hill 2005 with its coffee and chocolate aromas on a blackcurrant and plum frame

    Chicken scaloppini

    Serves: 4
    Cooking Time: 20 mins

    Ingredients

    • 4 chicken breast fillets
    • 30ml olive oil
    • 2 onions, finely chopped
    • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
    • 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
    • 130ml water
    • 10ml sugar
    • 130g small black olives
    • 50ml basil leaves
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
    • cake flour, seasoned to taste, for dusting
    • 4 slices prosciutto or coppa ham
    • 180g mozzarella, cut into 4 evenly sized slice

    Instructions

    1

    Preheat the grill.

    2

    Gently pound each chicken fillet to an even thickness and set aside.

    3

    Heat half of the olive oil in a pot, add the onion and garlic, and stir over a medium heat until the onion is soft and translucent.

    4

    Add the tomatoes, water, sugar, olives and basil to the onion mixture. Reserve 4 basil leaves. Season. Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture has thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.

    5

    Pour the tomato sauce in a large ovenproof dish and place in the oven to keep warm.

    6

    Dust the chicken fillets with flour, shaking off any excess. Heat the rest of the olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the chicken until just cooked, about 3 minutes on each side.

    7

    Place the chicken on top of the tomato sauce and top with pieces of prosciutto, a basil leaf and a slice of mozzarella. Place the chicken under a hot grill until the cheese has melted and is golden brown. Serve with polenta

    Notes

    You can use a little more sugar if the sauce is too acidic.