Italian Pasta Recipes - Casserole of Chicken and Noodles (Stufato di Pollo e Tagliatelle) Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 onion, studded with 4 cloves

• 1.5 kg/3 lb oven-ready chicken

• 2 celery sticks, chopped

• 5 ml/1 tsp salt

• 1 bay leaf

• 2 carrots, chopped

• 400 ml/14 fl oz/1 1/4 cups chicken stock

• 50 g/2 oz/1/4 cup unsalted (sweet) butter

• 25 g/1 oz/1/4 cup plain (all-purpose) flour

• 1 egg yolk

• 30 ml/2 tbsp sherry or red wine

• 120 ml/1 cup single (light) cream

• 225 g/8 oz mushrooms, sliced

• 225 g/8 oz tagliatelle

• 75 g/3 oz/3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

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Method:

1. Put the chicken, onion, celery, salt, bay leaf, carrots and stock in a large saucepan and bring to the boil over a high heat.

2. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the chicken to cool in the stock.

3. Drain and place on a chopping board. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken. Strain the stock, reserve and cool. Skim off any fat.

4. Grease a shallow ovenproof casserole dish (Dutch oven) and set aside. Bring the reserved stock to the boil in a saucepan and allow to simmer.

5. Melt half the butter in another pan and stir in the flour. Gradually add the reserved stock and cook for one minute.

6. Lightly beat the egg yolk in a cup and add 30 ml/2 tbsp of the hot stock. Return the egg yolk mixture to the saucepan and stir in the sherry, cream and chicken.

7. Heat the remaining butter and fry (sauté) the mushrooms until they are just beginning to brown.

8. Boil the noodles in plenty of salted water for 10 minutes until they are just tender. Drain well and place a layer in the base of the casserole dish.

9. Layover half the chicken mixture and half the mushrooms. Repeat this layering process and top the dish with Parmesan cheese.

10. Place under a grill (broiler) to brown the top and serve at once.