Mama Pirri's Chicken Scarpiello

Hi, everyone.   I'm back from a fun trip out of town.  Tomorrow I return to work and to reality.

Mama Pirri

You've all met Mama Pirri before.  Everyone loves her sausage and peppers.  

http://welcometojustforcooking.blogspot.com/2011/01/mama-pirris-sausage-and-peppers.html

Mama Pirri has been helping me out quite a bit as I am going through a series of outpatient procedures (next to the last one next Friday... yea!)   We flew in late last night and Mama Pirri had not only helped me out by cleaning my house and watching the famous Mr. Eddie (our Golden), but she also had this wonderful Chicken Scarpiello dish waiting for us. 

Mama Pirri's Chicken Scarpiello

Mama Pirri is allowing me to share her secret recipe with you all.  It's inspired by a dish she once had when she worked at the famous JR's restaurant in Stamford, CT.  Of course, Mama Pirri always mixes it up and makes it her own.

Here's what you need:

8 Chicken Legs, skin on
4 Chicken Thighs, skin on
1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon Garlic Powder, divided
2/3 cup Olive Oil
5 Sweet Italian Sausage links, halved
5 Hot Italian Sausage links, halved
1/2 pound Red Potatoes, cut into 8 - 10 pieces (depending on size)
2 cups Sweet Cherry Peppers, stemmed and seeded
1 cup Sweet Cherry Pepper Juice
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Dredge chicken in flour seasoned with half of the garlic powder and black pepper.  Brown Chicken in half of the olive oil.

Place sausage and potatoes in separate pans.  Coat both items with the remaining olive oil - 2 parts on the sausage and one part on the potatoes.  Sprinkle potatoes with the remaining garlic powder and toss.

Place chicken in baking pan.  Add cherry peppers, juice, vinegar and Parmesan cheese. 

Bake all three items in separate pans for one hour (chicken should be covered with foil; sausage and potatoes remain uncovered).

After one hour, remove potatoes and sausage.  Keep potatoes warm. 

Carefully combine sausage in the pan with the chicken.  Continue to bake for another 30 minutes.  

Combine the potatoes into the Scarpiello and serve.  Top with extra juice if desired.