Marathon Monday Meets Patriot’s Day
Posted by Taylor
Monday April 16, 2012If I’ve learned anything during my three years living in Boston, it’s to avoid the downtown area at all costs on Marathon Monday. It’s been a bit hard for me to enjoy getting lost in a massive cluster of rowdy college students, having to aimlessly walk through the maze of overenthusiastic onlookers in order to get a breath of fresh air, and being packed into overly-crowded subways cars. Not to mention, watching a 50-something-year old in MUCH better shape than me finish the race like it was a walk in the park really does a job to my self-esteem.
However, the one thing that I enjoy most about the third Monday of April is that I get a day off of school, and since Marathon Monday shares its glory with Patriots’ Day, it’s like a double holiday. I usually spend my day off playing catch up before the dreaded week of finals creeps up on me, but this year, being this may be my last spring in Beantown, I promised myself that I would head downtown (despite my feelings about the crazy crowds) and embrace one of Boston’s most lively holidays of the year!
For those of you lucky enough to have the day off of work, school, or other obligations and are looking for some classic New England recipes to celebrate the double holiday, I’ve found some mouth-watering recipes in Brooke Dojny‘s New England Home Cooking. In keeping with the theme of New England pride, here’s a recipe inspired by the city’s historic North End that’s perfect for Marathon Monday and Patriots’ Day– full of carbs and Boston pride!
Recipe: North End Penne with Chicken and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 pound penne or other similarly shaped pasta
- 4 cups (about 1 pound) broccoli florets
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ⅓ cup fresh-grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- 1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water for 8 minutes. Add the broccoli florets and cook for another 3 minutes or until the pasta is al dente and the broccoli is just tender. Drain in a colander, reserving ¾cup of the cooking water.
- 2. Meanwhile, combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet. Cook the chicken over medium heat until golden brown on both sides and no longer pink in the center, about 8 minutes total. Remove the chicken from the skillet, leaving the drippings in the pan, and cut it crosswise into ½-inch-wide slices.
- 3. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the butter to the skillet. Add the garlic and oregano and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the reserved pasta cooking water and bring to a simmer.
- 4. Toss the hot pasta and broccoli in a large bowl with the sauce and the sliced chicken. Add the cheese and toss again. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.
Number of servings (yield): 4
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