INDULGE’s Daily Dish: A comfort-food staple from one of Miami’s most loved Italian eateries

According to Cafe Prima Pasta owner Gerry Cea, whipping up a good chicken parmesan shouldn’t be a complicated matter, but instead one that brings people together. “This is a process that anyone can do at home with the right ingredients” he says. “It’s a comforting and satisfying meal for the whole family.” In today’s INDULGE Daily Dish, Cea shares Prima Pasta’s recipe for the comforting menu item, because it’s the next best thing to enjoying it at the familiar dark wood counter of the North Beach restaurant, accompanied by a stiff vodka martini made by the eatery’s longtime bartender, Henry.

Chicken Parmesan from Cafe Prima Pasta

Ingredients:

Chicken (Milanese style):

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

1 cup bread crumbs

1 cup olive oil

Zest from 1 lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion chopped

2 teaspoons minced garlic

14 ounces tomato puree

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon sugar

Cheese:

8 ounces mozzarella cheese slices

1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Chopped basil or parsley

Preparation:

Chicken: Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Whisk eggs with salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Add flour in another dish and bread crumbs in a third dish. Lightly press each piece of chicken into the flour to coat and shake off excess flour. Dip into the beaten egg, and lastly press into bread crumbs. Toss between your hands so excess bread crumbs fall off. Spread out the breaded chicken onto a plate and do not place on top of each other. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Pan fry chicken until golden brown and no longer pink in the center ( 3 to 4 minutes per side).

Sauce: Heat oil in a medium-sized pot. Fry onion until transparent (3 minutes). Add garlic until fragrant ( 30 seconds). Add the tomato puree, salt and pepper, sugar and herbs (if available). Cover with lid to simmer for about 7-8 minutes, or until sauce has thickened.

Place chicken on baking tray and cover each breast with 1/3 cup of sauce. Top each chicken breast with 2-3 slices of mozzarella cheese and about 2 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with basil or parsley. Bake in oven at 350 degrees F for 4-6 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and melted.

If you’d like to #supportlocal, Cafe Prima Pasta is also offering take out and delivery. 414 71st Street, Miami Beach, FL 33141; 305-867-0106. cafeprimapasta.com

This story was originally published March 20, 2020 at 12:22 PM.