From the Menu of ... Pasta Max Cafe,
50 Griffin St., McDonough, 770-320-9311

The cafe pairs this chicken with Black Pepper Pappardelle and Mushroom and Leek Cream Sauce (see separate recipe listings for those), but it can be served with or without the rich winter pasta. (This chicken also stands on its own as a great basic for sandwiches or a quick midweek supper.) Although fresh pasta is what makes this dish a standout for special occasions, if you’re short on time, you can substitute fresh fettuccine or linguine from the grocery store or a dried pappardelle.

Q: We have a wonderful family-owned restaurant just off the town square here in McDonough called Pasta Max. I love their Black Pepper Pappardelle and was wondering if you might be able to get them to share the recipe. It has chicken, leeks and mushrooms in a cream sauce.
Shannon Byrd, McDonough

A: This French-inspired sauce with rustic pasta has been on the Pasta Max menu since the restaurant opened in Stockbridge 12 years ago, says chef/owner Douglas Zitz. When Pasta Max moved to McDonough a year and a half ago, the recipe came, too — because customers love it so much. “It’s probably the rich cream sauce,” says Zitz, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.
-- Deborah Geering