This is probably one of my favourite family recipes.

The sauce is easy and has a lovely flavour.

The base of the dish is freshly crumbed chicken — and let’s face it, who doesn’t love freshly home-made chicken schnitzel?

When the family are home and if there are any leftovers, I need to make sure I divide the leftovers evenly for them to take home.

Crumbed chicken

– 4 chicken fillets

– 1 cup plain flour for dusting chicken fillets (use more if needed and season with white pepper and salt)

– 2 eggs (beaten)

– 2 tablespoons water

– Panko breadcrumbs (2 cups, more if needed)

– 60g butter

– 80ml olive oil

– 1 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese or Parmesan

Tomato sauce

– 2 tablespoons olive oil

– 2 medium brown onions, finely diced

– 2 celery sticks, trimmed and finely diced

– 2 medium capsicums, finely diced

– 3 fresh cloves garlic, crushed

– 800g Mutti plain tomato passata or 2 x 400g tomato puree

– 4 tsp caster sugar

– 2 tablespoons tomato paste

– 3 cups chicken stock (you can also use 3 cups water mixed with 3 heaped teaspoons Massel chicken stock powder)

– 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley – reserve 1 tablespoon parsley to garnish

– 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil – reserve 1 tablespoon basil to garnish

– 1 extra tablespoon pecorino or Parmesan cheese to garnish

– 1 teaspoon sea salt

Chicken

Tomato sauce

To finish the chicken

Deb’s tips

To pound the chicken, put Glad Wrap over the top of the chicken, it does a much better job.

I like to serve this dish with pappardelle pasta.

Once the pasta is cooked, I usually add ½ cup of pasta water with 1 clove of crushed garlic and ¼ cup of light cream.

Let it sauté for a couple of minutes and toss through 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh parsley and basil.

You can also serve this dish with a lovely salad, polenta or your favourite vegetables.

Bon appétit.

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Saturday, 6th January 2024