Vermouth, a fortified wine infused with wormwood and other bitter herbs, was the cocktail drink of the 70s, but it is also a wonderful wine to cook with, especially with fish and chicken. Look for Italian brands such as Cinzano or choose a dryer-style white wine for cooking rather than sweet.

Ingredients

• 250 gram tub firm ricotta cheese
• 1 cup pinenuts, toasted
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parlsey
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 8 chicken breasts, skin on
• ¼ cup dry white vermouth (or use white wine)
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC fan bake.
2. Mix together the ricotta cheese, pinenuts, parsley, ¾ cup of the Parmesan and season well with salt and pepper if wished.
3. Cut a small pocket in the thick side of each chicken breast and divide the mixture evenly among the chicken. Secure the opening with a skewer or toothpick.
4. Heat a dash of oil in a frying pan and, when hot, brown the chicken on both sides; transfer to an ovenproof dish. Add the vermouth or wine and the garlic to the pan and bring quickly to the boil, stirring to remove any sediment from the bottom. Pour over the chicken and sprinkle the remaining Parmesan evenly on top of the chicken pieces.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear. Cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken breasts and also how well packed they are in the dish, so do check for doneness.

Cooks Tips

- To save time prepare the chicken earlier in the day or the night before. Once bronwed and the vermouth has been poured over, cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to cook. Allow an extra 10 minutes' cooking time. - You could use walnuts in place of pinenuts, cheddar in place of parmesan, cottage cheese in place of ricotta.