Yum! In any language ...
Whether you want to call it Chicken
and Pasta Bake or Tartelette au Poulet et Pâtes, it’s still a delicious and easy dinner recipe for a cold Tasmanian night.
Photo supplied
Wendy Hays
NOT SO long ago I lunched at a popular Tasmanian eatery. Our party of six food loving seniors felt slightly out of place amidst the other designer clad, perfectly manicured, bejewelled, pinot grigio sipping diners.
Our waiter Tyrone (not a Vicki or Wayne in sight), presented us with a tapas style, clipboard menu. It seems to me that tattoos, sculpted biceps, fade haircuts, topiaried beards plus at least one visible body piercing are needed to work in hospitality these day. The smiling, denim apron clad Tyrone fitted these criteria perfectly!
I chose a dish that went something like ‘our handmade sourdough, vine ripened tomato concasse with burnished local, vintage cheese, 19.5’.
No $ signs, lots of ancient grains and more letters after each menu item than an academic’s citation.
Anticipation turned quickly to despair, then rage, when my meal arrived and I was presented with what was essentially cheese and chutney on toast. Yes, and $19.50!
I’m not a big eater, but I did have to stop on the way home for a Choc Wedge and a packet of chips to keep my blood sugar stable!
So, for the foodies amongst you, I am quite happy if you call this month’s dish Tartelette au Poulet et Pâtes but it’s really Chicken and Pasta Bake VGHF (Very Good Hearty Fare!)
Chicken and Pasta Bake
Base
1–2 cups of small pasta, cooked al dente and drained well
2 tbs fresh, chopped parsley 1 egg, beaten lightly
Topping
1 cooked chicken – remove flesh, discard bones and skin
1 tbs butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 stick of celery, finely chopped 2 tbs cornflour
1/2 cup of milk
1 x 440g can of condensed cream of chicken soup
2 tbs mayonnaise
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 tsp French mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp of fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp of dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
90g tasty cheese
3 tbs Parmesan cheese
Method
Mix together the cooked pasta, beaten egg and chopped parsley. Place into the bottom of a greased casserole dish to form a base.
Heat the butter in a saucepan and cook the prepared onion and celery until tender. Add the cornflour and stir for 1 minute. Add the milk and stir the sauce until thickened and bubbling.
Add the condensed soup, mayonnaise and sour cream. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
Add the cooked, chopped chicken, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, pepper and mustard. Simmer a few more minutes.
Spoon the chicken mixture evenly over pasta base. Sprinkle with combined grated cheese.
Bake at 180°C for about 40 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Serves 6–8
