Recipe? I ain't got no stinkin recipe (Pollo e Pepperone)

So have you ever ordered something in a restaurant and upon the first or second bite said to yourself 'I could make this at home'? Me too. And Pollo e Pepperone (Chicken and Peppers) is a perfect example. A simple dish of chicken, green and red peppers, loads of garlic and olive oil tossed with pasta. Simple for a restaurant chef perhaps, but it proved to be a bit more challenging for me. My first stab at it I neglected to dredge the chicken in flour, so it didn't brown nicely and I didn't use anywhere near enough garlic. The second try was a bit better, but still not enough garlic and olive oil. I chipped away at it, and found that the third time was the charm, finally striking pay dirt. Although, I failed to write any of it down so now when I go six months or a year between making it, I always have to guess to get it right. I usually use linguine, but fettuccine works fine. Also, this last time I made it (for the picture) I didn't have red pepper so it is all green. Also, the restaurant version has a bit of a kick to it, that I have eliminated due to the Julia child's sensitive palette.But all in all, I have the satisfaction of deconstructing and reconstructing a recipe that other restaurant patrons marvel over. That tastes good.

1948's Treasure of the Sierra Madre - a classic, an essential, one of the finest films ever made, and the originator of one of my favorite movie lines ever: "Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinkin' badges!" In 2005, the quotation was chosen as No. 36 on the American Film Institute list of the top 100 movie quotes of all time. Starring Humphrey Bogart as a down and out American in Mexico who goes mining for gold, strikes it rich, gets too greedy, and ultimately gets what's coming to him in the end. Unlike the young Robert Blake who has a brief appearance in the beginning of the film, who despite his Baretta mantra of "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime" doesn't end up paying. Anyway, we had the pleasure of finally seeing this film on the big screen as part of the Detroit Film Theatre's DFT 101 series and the experience was truly worth it's weight (and wait) in gold. Play the clip:

The Recipe:

Weren't you paying attention? There is no stikin' recipe, but here's my best guess at it:

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed
flour for dredging
green pepper, sliced thin
red pepper, sliced thin
garlic, at least three cloves either mincend or sliced very thin
olive oil, probhably at least 1/2 cup
1 pound of pasta

While the pasta is cooking, dredge the chicken in flour. In a 12 inch pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and add the chicken, cooking until browned. Add the garlic and the peppers and more oil as needed to keep a pool of it in the pan at all times. Cook until the peppers a re tender. Drain the pasta and add to pan. Toss pasta with chicken and peppers and add more oil if needed so as the pasta is evenly coated. Serve your new friends, but feed the old, as one is silver and the other is gold.