Pheasant Parmesan

Ingredients:

  • 4 skinless, boneless pheasant breast halves
  • 2 eggs
  • Wild West Seasoning Golden Crispy Fish Seasoning
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
  • ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • olive oil for frying
  • ½ cup tomato sauce
  • Your favorite pasta

Marinara sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/3 cup finely-diced onion
  • 4 cloves garlic finely-minced
  • 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes (with juices)
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until combined.  Add garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the white wine and reduce for 1-2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients.  Add the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, salt and black pepper, and stir to combine.  Use a wooden spoon to gently break up the tomatoes as the sauce continues to heat.  Stir in the fresh basil.

Simmer.  Continue cooking the sauce until it reaches a simmer.  Then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and continue to simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and season the sauce with salt and pepper, as needed.

Pheasant Parmesan

Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

Place pheasant breasts between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) and firmly pound with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/2-inch. Season pheasant thoroughly with salt and pepper.

Beat eggs in a shallow bowl and set aside. Mix WWS Golden Crispy Fish Seasoning and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese in a separate bowl, set aside. Coat pheasant in flour (seasoned with salt and pepper). Dip flour coated pheasant breast in beaten eggs. Transfer breast to Golden Crispy Fish Seasoning, pressing into both sides. Repeat for each breast.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Cook pheasant until golden, about 2 minutes on each side. It will finish cooking in the oven.

Place pheasant in a baking dish and top each breast with about 1/3 cup of tomato sauce. Layer each chicken breast with equal amounts of mozzarella cheese and fresh basil. Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese on top and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is browned and bubbly, and pheasant breasts are no longer pink in the center, 15 to 20 minutes. To at least 165 degrees F.

Serve over your favorite pasta and enjoy!