MENU DESCRIPTION: “Shrimp, grilled chicken & smoked prosciutto and Parmesan baked in a creamy cheese sauce.”
Romano’s top-requested item is so popular they’ve even trademarked the name. Grilled chicken, shrimp, prosciutto,
and penne pasta bathed in a creamy gratinata sauce is topped with cheese and paprika, and baked until the top is a crispy brown. There’s a distinct smoky flavor that comes from the smoked prosciutto used by the chain, and you
might have a hard time finding such a unique item at your deli. No big deal. Just use regular prosciutto, and have the
deli cut it pretty thick—⅛-inch will do. The dish will still work since you’ll get smoky hints from the grilled chicken and shrimp. The chain serves up the entree in a wide, shallow baking dish that comes to you straight from the salamander (overhead oven/broiler). If you don’t have any baking dishes like that, try using 9-inch glass pie dishes. These make for a great presentation, especially when served hot right to the table, garnished with a sprig of rosemary and a few sliced pimentos on top. Be sure to get the sliced pimentos, not diced. You want long pieces just like those they use at the restaurant.
MAKES: 4 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS:
GRATINATA SAUCE:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons Marsala wine
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
OTHER INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound penne rigate pasta
- 12 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 skinless chicken breast fillets
- ½ cup (about 2 ounces) thick-sliced smoked prosciutto, chopped
TOPPING:
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1½ teaspoons paprika
GARNISH:
- 12 slices pimentos
- 4 sprigs rosemary
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Preheat barbecue grill to high.
- Prepare gratinata sauce Melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium/low heat in a medium saucepan. Add garlic and sweat it for about 5 minutes. Avoid browning the garlic. Add Marsala wine and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients for the sauce and whisk well until smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it thicken for 10 minutes. Cover and remove from heat.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Pound the thick end of the chicken breasts to make them a uniform thickness. Rub chicken with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Thread shrimp onto skewers, rub with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per side.Grill shrimp for 2 minutes per side.Slice the chicken breasts into strips.
- Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
- In large, shallow baking dishes or 9-inch pie plates. Place 3 cups of cooked pasta in each dish. Add one-quarter of the chicken, 3 shrimp, and 2 tablespoons of prosciutto to each dish. Spoon ¾ cup of gratinata sauce onto each dish and toss to coat. Combine 3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese with 1½ teaspoons of paprika and sprinkle over each serving.
- Bake the dishes for 10 to 12 minutes, or until tops begin to brown.
- Arrange three pimento slices on top of each serving and garnish with a sprig of rosemary. Serve and enjoy!
