Fred Couples

Instructions

1. 1. Pat the chicken pieces completely dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt and pepper.
2. 2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, wide Dutch oven or braising pan over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces skin-side down, in batches, for 4 to 5 minutes until deep golden and the skin is crispy. Flip and brown the other side for 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. 3. Pour off most of the fat from the pan, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Add the remaining olive oil.
4. 4. Cook the onion and bell peppers over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes more. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
5. 5. Pour in the wine and let it bubble vigorously, scraping up all the browned chicken bits from the base of the pan.
6. 6. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, oregano, thyme, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes (if using). Mix well.
7. 7. Return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up, nestling the pieces into the sauce. The sauce should come about halfway up the sides of the chicken.
8. 8. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 35 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for a further 10 minutes to reduce the sauce.
9. 9. Stir in the olives and capers. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
10. 10. Remove the bay leaf. Serve directly from the pan, scattered generously with fresh parsley. Goes beautifully with the spaghetti that rounded out the 1993 dinner.

Instructions

1. 1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and ground beef. Cook, breaking up the meat well, until browned and any liquid has evaporated — about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. 2. Add the remaining olive oil to the pot. Cook the onion over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic, fennel seeds, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.
3. 3. Return the browned meat to the pot. Pour in the wine and let it reduce by half, about 3 minutes.
4. 4. Add the crushed tomatoes (with all their juice) and the tomato paste. Add the thyme and season generously with salt and pepper.
5. 5. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to very low. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the sauce is dark red, thickened, and rich. Taste: add a pinch of sugar if the tomatoes were acidic.
6. 6. When the sauce is nearly ready, bring a very large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a generous handful of salt — it should taste of the sea.
7. 7. Cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions for al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
8. 8. Drain the pasta and add it directly to the pot of sauce. Toss vigorously over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, adding splashes of pasta water to emulsify the sauce so it clings to every strand.
9. 9. Serve in warmed bowls. Tear fresh basil leaves over the top and pass the Parmesan at the table.