Preparation

Today we bring you a traditional Tuscan recipe. Its exact origins are subject to debate, since there are some who say that the region's hunters themselves used to prepare the dish on hunting trips with the ingredients that were easiest to find (and others which they may have brought from home). On the other hand, there are those who say that it was the hunters' wives who made the dish for when their husbands returned. In either case, the dish has now crossed borders and is now one of the best-known chicken stews in the world.

Chicken is rich in vitamins B3, B9, C and K, plus minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium, iodine, magnesium, sodium and phosphorus. Add the peppers, tomato and garlic into the mix, and the dish also provides vitamins A and E, zinc and fibre. It is, however, quite a calorific dish, which means it should ideally be consumed in moderation.

Preparation:

Season the chicken pieces with salt and freshly-ground black pepper and put them in a bowl. Add the bay leaves, the herbs and the garlic (crushed). Add enough wine to cover everything and leave it to marinate for at least an hour.

Next, drain the chicken, reserving the wine, and pat it dry with kitchen roll. Coat the chicken lightly in flour and shake it to remove any excess. Heat some of the Betis olive oil in a large saucepan and fry the chicken until it is browned all over, then remove it from the heat.

Meanwhile, heat some more Betis olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and lightly fry the garlic for half a minute, before adding the onion and the leek, finely chopped. Fry the mixture for a couple of minutes, and then add the mushrooms and finally the peppers. Sauté everything until it is lightly cooked and then remove it from the heat.

Next, blend the tomatoes, and then add them, along with the vegetables, to the saucepan with the chicken. Pour in the wine too, and stir well. Season to taste with salt and pepper, cover the pan and leave the dish to cook over a medium heat for 40 minutes.

Serve the chicken decorated with a sprig of parsley.

Note: serves 4. Preparation time: 75 minutes. Cooking time: 50 minutes.