CHICKEN DIAVOLA--Pollo alla Diavola (Italian) For the sauce: 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1/4 pound pancetta, diced 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound Italian tomatoes, crushed (I've used Roma tomatoes) 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (cut this amount in half if you don't want it too spicy) 3/4 teaspoon black pepper salt and ground sage (to taste) For the chicken: 4 (8 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts 8 ounces provolone cheese, shredded (or in 4-2 ounce pieces) 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs** To make the sauce, brown the garlic and pancetta in the oil over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and cook for 45 minutes. Add the red pepper, black pepper, and salt and sage to taste and simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Keep sauce warm while preparing chicken. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Flatten the chicken breasts. Place chicken in lightly greased baking pan. Top each piece of chicken with approximately 2 ounces of the cheese and 1/4 cup of the breadcrumbs; fold in half; secure with toothpick. Bake for 25 minutes. Serve with your choice of pasta Serves 4 **You can season your own breadcrumbs by adding 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper, 1 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, 1 tablespoon parsley, and a little minced garlic. ***Since we like extra sauce, I double the sauce.
