RECIPE | Chicken and pasta pie

Serves: 6-8

Chicken:

1 free-range chicken

1 onion, peeled

1 bunch fresh parsley

750ml (3 cups) water

5ml (1 tsp) salt

Other ingredients:

250ml (1 cup) uncooked macaroni or short pasta of your choice

30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil

30ml (2 tbsp) butter

1 onion, finely chopped

15ml (1 tbsp) cake flour

250ml (1 cup) chicken stock

125ml (½ cup) white wine

2.5ml (½ tsp) ground cloves

2.5ml (½ tsp) ground cinnamon

15ml (1 tbsp) chopped fresh parsley

30ml (2 tbsp) grated parmesan cheese

Salt and white pepper, to taste

1 x 400g roll ready-made puff pastry, preferably all-butter, lightly rolled out

1 egg, lightly beaten

Method:

1) Place the chicken, onion and parsley in a large pot. Pour over water and add salt. Bring to the boil, cover partially with a lid and cook for about 1 hour or until water has reduced by two-thirds. Remove chicken, cool and remove flesh from bones. Cut flesh into chunks and discard skin and bones.

2) Cook macaroni in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and set aside.

3) Heat oil and butter in a large pan and gently fry onion until soft. Add flour and stir to form a paste. Gradually add the stock, stirring continuously to form a smooth sauce. Add wine, cloves and cinnamon and cook for 5 minutes.

4) Preheat the oven to 180°C.

5) Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the parsley, parmesan, pasta and chicken. Season.

6) Spoon the filling into a greased oven-proof dish and top with the pastry. Brush with egg and bake for 30 minutes or until pastry is golden and cooked.