Pollo in potacchio

Pollo in potacchio is a rustic and flavorful dish typical of the Marche and Umbria regions. Here’s the recipe to prepare this delight.

Ingredients

• 1 free-range chicken cut into pieces
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 glass of white wine
• 500 g of peeled tomatoes (or alternatively tomato puree)
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Clean the chicken pieces well and dry them with kitchen paper.
2. In a large pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil and sauté the crushed garlic cloves together with the rosemary sprig until the garlic becomes golden.
3. Remove the garlic when it is golden and add the chicken pieces, browning them on all sides until they have taken on a nice golden color.
4. Deglaze with white wine and let the alcohol evaporate over high heat.
5. Add the crushed peeled tomatoes or the tomato puree, adjust with salt and pepper, and cover the pan. Cook on low heat for about 30-40 minutes, checking occasionally and turning the chicken pieces.
6. If the sauce should dry out too much, add a little hot water.

Pollo in potacchio is ready when the meat is tender but not falling apart, and the sauce has thickened.

Curiosity

The term “potacchio” likely derives from “apoticarium,” a Latin word that identified the vessel where medicinal sauces were once cooked. It can be said that any dish cooked “in potacchio” is flavored with a sauté in oil with garlic and rosemary and then deglazed with wine.

This dish pairs perfectly with a structured red wine, maybe a Rosso Conero or a Rosso Piceno, which can enhance its robust flavors and rich texture.