I don't know why it is, but recently I have been really craving chicken parmigiana. It isn't something I really had growing up, but it is an absolute staple of Australian pubs. And fair enough too - it is inexpensive, tasty and lends itself both to the bain marie and to eating with chips. It isn't something I have seen on menus in the UK, so I knew that if I wanted it I was going to have to make it myself.And so I did. Taking shortcuts wherever possible. Still tasted good! After all, can you go wrong with bubbly, brown melty cheese? It's like a reduced carb version of lasagne.
Turkey Parmigiana (serves 2 healthy
appetites with salad and enough leftover for a sandwich the next day)400g turkey breast escallops
1 egg
dried breadcrumbs
a splash of oil for frying
100g baby spinach leaves
1 jar tomato-based pasta sauce (I used roasted garlic and basil)
1 block mozzarella
2tbs grated parmesan
Egg & crumb the escallops, then fry on both sides until browned. It's a texture thing, it'll be cooked really thoroughly again, so you don't have to be precious about cooking it through.
Line a dish (I used my trusty pyrex lasagne dish) with baby spinach leaves, and top with the escallops in a single layer. Pour over the pasta sauce, top with slices of mozzarella and sprinkle with parmesan. Bake at 190C for about 45 minutes or until everything is bubbly and browned and gorgeous. Allow to sit for 5 minutes to firm up slightly. Serve with a green salad (and some buttered macaroni if you need to bulk it out to serve an extra person).
12 comments:
Yum! I always think of parmigiana as being a very American dish. I've never actually tried it myself, but all the ingredients definitely appeal - you definitely can't go wrong with bubbly brown melted cheese! Love it. Turkey sounds like a nice substitute :)
Sounds great FC! I would never think to do it with Turkey though, I should use Turkey more often.
Wow, I literally had the same craving a couple of days ago. A turkey version sounds great.
Laura - American? I think of it as so Australian that it never occurred to me!
HH - next time you are in Rozelle you should go to the Red Lion, they do a good one.
Esi- Great minds!
Yum! I have never thought of making the dish with turkey before - what a great idea!
It looks so ooey-gooey and delicious. I love that it is turkey too.
mmm. i've been craving italian food lately. looks super delicious!
Natashya - the turkey works really well.
Deb - I did it less for the health reasons and more because it was cheap and the escallops were the right size! But it is healthier too.
Heather - well you are the right woman for the job if you want Italian!
Funny I would have never thought of this as an Australian staple
Ooh, you made me hungry. I'd love a plate of this turkey parmigiana please. I've always made mine with chicken. I bet turkey gave it an even more fantastic taste. Thank you love.
Kat - in the older style pubs and clubs the parma reigns!
Teresa - it was good, but you could do it with cardboard and the sauce and cheese would make it edible.
I love the idea of using a paillard of turkey instead of veal - much healthier (and can you believe I'm not a fan of veal?). I've been thinking a lot about a parmigiana lately.
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