Sommacchia

Today’s recipe comes from Renaissance Italy. It has a sharp lemony zing, without having any lemon at all, due to today’s spice: sumac! A standard in the Middle Eastern palate, it’s seriously under-rated in the modern kitchen.

Sommacchia: Chicken or fowl in sumac sauce – Take a chicken cut into pieces and fry it in lard; and take almonds and sumac with water and cook them with the chicken, and let it thicken, and serve it. – Anonimo Toscano, Libro della Cocina, Italian, late 14th or early 15th c.

This recipe is not only tasty, it’s quick!

• 1 lb chicken (you can use bone-in or coarsely chopped chicken breast or thigh)
• 1-2 Tbs oil
• 1 to 1 1/2 C water (or chicken stock for extra flavor)
• 1 Tbs Sumac (available at Penzey’s or a Middle Eastern import shop)
• [1 large clove garlic, minced, optional, not in the original]
• 1/4 C almond meal
• salt and pepper to taste

Brown the chicken in the oil,  [and garlic,] add the water/stock, the sumac, and cook till tender, 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle the almond meal on top and stir into the chicken. Heat gently until thickened.  Season to taste and serve over rice or noodles.

Enjoy!