Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5 to 6 ounces each)
• 2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning pasta
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 3/4 cup dried bread crumbs
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 recipe Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce, recipe follows, or your favorite red pasta sauce
• 1/2 pound smoked mozzarella, sliced
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound linguine, cooked al dente and kept warm
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chiffonade fresh basil leaves

Directions

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch

Published by William Morrow, 1993.

Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce:

3 pounds Romanita tomatoes, cored*

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

12 cloves garlic, peeled

2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large, 14-inch, oven proof frying pan, combine all the ingredients. Stir to blend then transfer to the oven and cook until the tomatoes begin to caramelize, about 30 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and stir well. Return to the oven and continue to cook until further caramelized and much of the liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes longer. Remove from the oven, cool slightly, and transfer to a blender, in batches if necessary, and process sauce until coarsely pureed. If the sauce seems too thick, thin with a bit of water or chicken broth. Use immediately or cool completely and refrigerate for up to 4 days in a non-reactive, airtight container.

The sauce is great on pasta as well as pizza and even makes a great dipping sauce for hors d'oeuvres. If you prefer a less rustic sauce, puree completely as described above and strain.

Yield: about 4 cups sauce

* If Romanita tomatoes are unavailable, use a combination of Roma and grape tomatoes to approximate the sweetness of Romanitas, or use another type of sweet tomato, such as Amorosa.