Almost Italian

By the 1980’s, Italian-American cuisine had evolved to the point that restaurant dishes began to look—and even taste—less like Mulberry Street and more like the Via Veneto. The pursuit of culinary authenticity, whether for purely personal pleasure or as a status-enhancing activity, had become a greater part of the American travel experience. Great numbers of Americans, food professionals and tourists at all economic levels, were going to Italy. Cheap transatlantic airfares added new life to Italian-American food.

Chefs who had been to Italy began to introduce truly Italian dishes and wines to their increasingly sophisticated and figure-conscious American patrons. At the same time, the Italian banking, automotive, home furnishings, and fashion industries were sending a new class of immigrant to America—the Northern Italian executive.

This rediscovery of Italy’s food presented Americans with another way to express Italian culture in America. After years of quantity trumping quality, there was a new emphasis on simplicity and the highlighting of a few fine ingredients. Cooks and diners learned that a disarmingly uncomplicated cutlet, sautéed in olive oil, could say amore just as well as a mountain of red-sauced pasta smothered with quasi-industrial cheese.

One ingredient that helped this transition was chicken. Cooks had learned that a skinless, boneless chicken breast made an excellent substitute for a veal cutlet. Furthermore, chicken breasts looked good on a plate. Their texture and mild taste could be easily enhanced by the simple treatments that had been traditionally used for veal back in Italy.

Chicken alla Milanese typifies the state of Italian-American food in the 1980’s. In this dish, adapted from Costoletta alla Milanese*, a sautéed breaded veal chop, the more economical chicken breast is dredged first in an egg mixture, then breaded before being quickly sautéed and served with no more than a lemon wedge.

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Eggs beaten and seasoned with salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 Cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
1 Cup Parmesan
Grated rind of one lemon
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
3 Tbs. Unsalted butter
Juice of 1 lemon
4 Tbs. Flat-leaf Italian parsley, finely chopped
1 Lemon, quartered

Preparation:

Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap (or waxed paper, if you want a truly Retro experience!) and pound them with a meat mallet or a rolling pin until they’ve reached a uniform thickness of approximately 3/8 in. Season the breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Reserve on a plate.

Break the eggs into a shallow-sided dish, season with the salt & pepper, and whisk until blended.

Combine the breadcrumbs, cheese, and lemon rind in another shallow-sided dish. Stir with a fork to blend.

Dip chicken into egg mixture, then into breadcrumb mixture. The chicken should be thoroughly but lightly coated. Shake off any excess crumbs and reserve on a plate.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, then add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Add chicken and sauté until cooked through and golden brown (about 4 – 5 minutes per side). Don’t crowd the pan. If necessary, do this step in batches. As each chicken breast is cooked, transfer to a warm platter.

Melt the butter in the sauté pan, then add the lemon juice. Stir, scraping up any caramelized bits of chicken on the bottom of the pan. Pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with the chopped parsley and the lemon wedges.

Serves four.