When you marry an Italian, be prepared to cook Italian food. My husband's family is from Torino, way up north, where the cuisine is somewhat different from the spaghetti and tomato sauce dishes of the south. One of his favorite dishes is a casserole of roasted chicken, potatoes and peas. And my three girls, who of course are half-Italian, love this dish as well. One might think that this can't be an Italian recipe because there is no pasta in it, but believe me, I was introduced to this dish in a most interesting way--in Italy. During Easter in 1982 I was chaperoning a group of teens from the local school together with several other adults. It was a wonderful trip, which included hearing a Mass by St. John Paul II himself. After that we toured different cities, last stop being Venice. We had lunch at a small Venetian restaurant, where the main fare was--that's right--roasted chicken with potatoes and peas. The young waitress seemed a bit nervous, maybe being intimidated by a table full of Americans, I don't know. Venice was somewhat cooler than the rest of Italy, so along with my blouse and skirt (and sensible walking shoes!) I wore a blue zippered jacket. As the waitress began to serve me she failed to hold the serving platter level, which resulted in her spilling greasy chicken juice all over my sleeve. I laughed, "I've been anointed!" But the poor waitress was clearly frightened. "[i]Ai! Me dispiace[/i]!" she cried. "[i]Me dispiace, Signorina[/i]!" (Oh! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Miss!) I smiled at her and said, "[i]E bene. Non fa niente[/i]!" (It's ok, it's no problem.) Good thing I speak Italian! The proprietor ran over and asked me to take off my jacket, She then rinsed out the sleeve in cold water, then sprinkled talcum powder on it to help absorb the water and grease. By the end of the meal my jacket was as good as new. But that meal was delicious! Five years later, when I got married, my husband told me that one of his favorite dishes was roast chicken with potatoes and peas, and I had to tell him this story before I learned from his Mom how to make the dish. It's really very simple. Heat the oven to 425 F, or gas mark 7 for my English readers. Peel 2 pounds of potatoes and cut them into large chunks or wedges. Disjoint a five-pound chicken, skin on, or buy one that's already disjointed--much easier! Pour about 1/2 cup of olive oil into a shallow bowl. Now dredge each potato wedge in the oil and arrange them in one layer on the bottom of a large casserole. A large lasagna pan works great for this. Dredge the chicken pieces in the same oil and place on top of the potatoes, also in a single layer. Place the casserole of potatoes and chicken into the oven for about an hour. Add about a cup of fresh or thawed peas to the casserole, sprinkling them over the chicken. Continue to roast for another 30 minutes or until chicken and potatoes are thoroughly cooked. Serve! The chicken skin should be nice and crispy, and the potatoes should have a slightly crunchy texture on the outside and soft on the inside. Simple and satisfying!
