35 - Pappardelle with Chicken

Ingredients

• 2tbsp olive oil
• 150g (5oz) pancetta cubetti
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 185g (6oz) mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 3 Italian-style sausages, casings removed
• 750g (1½lb) boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1cm (½in) pieces
• 1x400g (13oz) tin chopped tomatoes
• 250ml (8fl oz) chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 400g (13oz) pappardelle or wide flat pasta
• Freshly grated parmesan, to serve

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a moderate heat. Add the pancetta, onion, garlic, carrot, mushrooms and sausage meat and cook, stirring occasionally, for around 8 minutes, breaking up the sausage meat with a fork.
2. Add the chicken meat, the tomatoes, stock and bay leaf to the mixture and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for about 50 minutes. Keep warm.
3. Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water according to the instructions on the packet, or until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta well and then return it to the saucepan. Pour over the ragu sauce and stir well. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan.