Mezze Penne Rigate with Tomato Chicken Sauce

One compliment for something I cooked is already enough to make me happy but to get three consecutive ones from the same person made me positively giddy.   I was brimming with confidence to confront another challenge in the kitchen.  My kitchen is the main location of a continual duel between me and the food.   I'm not always the winner there.  I sometimes go out of my reign with my tail in between my legs.  

I had no more ideas coming on what I was going to do with the shredded boiled chicken in the fridge that I used to make the chicken stock for the chicken noodle soup.   The drab looking meat staring at me didn't give me fireworks in my brain to start something for dinner.

 

I decided on going simple because that always works well.  I took out the basic ingredients.  A can of tomato sauce, a package of diced pancetta affumicata (smoked pancetta), garlic & oil.   I had a normal meatsauce in mind for the pasta but instead of the usual pork, veal or beef, I had some boiled chicken to use as the meat.  I was convinced that I will walk out of the kitchen disappointed.

My spirits were deflated when I added the canned tomatoes.  The sauce was too pale and I was wondering if I should open another can of tomatoes or not.  I was also deliberating whether to wrap everything up & order pizzas for dinner.   I was getting desperate.  Maybe tomato concentrate will do?  I found a tube in the pantry and mixed it with water.  It gave the sauce a boost in color.  There was a spark of life there.  Shove the emergency pizzas, something's taking shape here!   I gave it half an hour to take out the flavours.   Well what do you know?  Persistence paid off.  It looked & tasted like how pasta sauce should be.   It was even delicious! 

Mezze Penne Rigate with Tomato Chicken Sauce

Ingredients:
Serves 4

• 200 g. ground chicken (fresh or boiled, used to make chicken stock)
• 150 g. pancetta affumicata (smoked pancetta), diced
• 400 g. canned tomatoes
• 1 garlic, halved
• 2 tbsp. tomato concentrate (diluted in 1/2 cup water)
• salt & pepper
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• extra virgin olive oil
• grated parmigiano reggiano 

1. Boil water in a cooking pot to cook the pasta.  When it boils, add salt.  Add the pasta and cook according to the cooking time suggested in the package lessening by a minute to make them al dente.
2. Meantime saute' garlic in a saucepan with extra virgin olive oil.  When it turns golden, add the pancetta affumicata.  Toast.
3. Add the chicken.  Cook for about 10 minutes.  
4. Add the tomato sauce & tomato concentrate diluted in water.  Cook for half an hour.  
5. Season with salt, pepper & oregano.
6. Add cooked pasta and mix with the sauce.  Cook for a minute.
7. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil & sprinkle with parmigiano reggiano before serving.

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