piccata
{{Short description|Italian dish}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2017}}
File:Chicken piccata dinner cooking food.jpg
Piccata is an Italian dish of thin pan-fried flour-dredged meat in a sauce of lemon juice, butter, parsley, and often capers.{{Cite web |title=piccata |url=https://www.treccani.it/vocabolario/ricerca/piccata/ |access-date=2023-12-08 |website=Treccani Encyclopedia |language=it}}{{cite web |title=Ricetta Piccata di vitello al limone - RicetteMania |url=http://www.ricettemania.it/ricetta-piccata-di-vitello-al-limone-3216.html |access-date=16 January 2018 |website=www.RicetteMania.it}} In Italian cuisine piccata is prepared using veal (piccata di vitello al limone, {{literally|veal piccata with lemon}}),{{cite book |last=Del Conte |first=Anna |title=Gastronomy of Italy: Revised Edition |year=2013 |publisher=Pavilion |isbn=978-1862056589}} whereas in American cuisine, chicken is more commonly used. A similar dish, pesce spada con capperi e limone, is made with swordfish.{{cite web |title=Pesce spada con capperi e limone |url=https://www.academiabarilla.it/ricetta/pesce-spada-con-capperi-e-limone/ |access-date=16 January 2018 |website=Academia Barilla - l’arte della gastronomia italiana}}
Etymology
{{Wikt-lang|it|Piccata}}, the past passive participle of {{Wikt-lang|it|piccare}}, literally means 'larded', 'seasoned', or 'pounded flat'.{{Cite news |last=Galarza |first=G. Daniela |date=May 12, 2022 |title=Chicken piccata is saucy, speedy and works with a mushroom swap |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2022/05/12/chicken-piccata-recipe-mushroom-vegetarian/}}
Preparation
The meat is cut thin and flattened to an even thickness with a tenderizer. It is seasoned and dredged in flour before being browned in butter or olive oil.
The sauce is made using pan drippings; lemon juice and white wine or chicken stock are added and reduced. Chopped parsley and often capers are added; sometimes also shallots or garlic. After reduction, butter is stirred in to finish the sauce. It is often garnished with slices of lemon.{{cite news|title=Quick And Simple Chicken Piccata|publisher=Perdue.com|url=https://www.perdue.com/recipes/quick-and-simple-chicken-piccata/51/|access-date=31 October 2017|archive-date=2 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702054723/https://www.perdue.com/recipes/quick-and-simple-chicken-piccata/51/|url-status=dead}}
In the United States, it is usually served with a vegetable or starch, such as pasta, polenta, or rice. In Italy, veal piccata is a secondo ({{literally|second}}) and would be served after the pasta (or other starch) course.
File:Chicken piccata.jpg|Chicken piccata
File:Swordfish in piccata sauce.jpg|Swordfish in piccata sauce
File:Seitan Piccata.jpg|Seitan piccata
See also
{{Commons category-inline}}
{{Portal|Italy|Food}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Chicken dishes|state=collapsed}}
Category:Italian-American cuisine